Relinquished Reality
by aeriel7
Summary: An alternate ending to Season 4. After the Jaridians invade Earth, Da'an and Liam need to find their place in a completely new world - and relinquish one reality in order to embrace another.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: EFC is the property of Tribune Entertainment and Alliance Atlantis.

* * *

 **'Relinquished Reality'**

* * *

Aboard the Jaridian battleship the greenish glow of the vertical lamps which lit up the corridor as soon as the central computer had registered his presence could barely keep the darkness at bay. Liam shuddered. Whether it was the majestic Taelon mothership or the proud warship of the Jaridian High Command, both vessels had that dreadful feeling of emptiness. When collated with the endless void of outer space, it seemed to have grown too disturbing for a lone human being. Perhaps because neither of these places had ever been meant for human presence, Liam realized.

At the end of the corridor the glow flickered. He increased his pace and soon reached a half-shadowed chamber, illuminated only by the pale lemon light of the bickering energy shield, which separated a silent being from the world outside. Liam held his breath as if afraid that at the slightest stir the scene would dissolve like a mirage.

It did not. Vorjak had kept his promise – the North American Companion was alive, kneeling on the floor, his slim hands cuffed in energy locks as if indeed the Jaridian High Command had suspected him of being miraculously able to pass through the protective shield.

'Da'an!' Liam exclaimed, but the Taelon diplomat did not look at him. His Protector had been expecting that, though, and mustered an uncertain smile as he walked up to the translucent barrier.

Vivid blue alien eyes stubbornly stared into nothingness, saying more than words could. But at least, being no less bright than the energy shield, they immediately communicated to him that Da'an was not being starved like his brethren, but well cared for like a precious bargaining card he was for his hosts. The man could hardly hide the relief he felt at the sight.

'I've talked to Vorjak,' he offered, hoping to get the Taelon's attention. 'The American government and the United Nations have officially requested your release. I don't think he's going to risk another conflict, and certainly not a war over a single Taelon.'

'You have no right to bargain for my life, Liam Kincaid, and neither does your government,' Da'an's voice was emotionless and hopelessly overconfident.

'Look, I understand that you're furious – '

'Fury is an understatement, yet for the lack of a more accurate term in your language, I shall settle for the choice.'

'Awesome,' Liam seated himself on the floor with a deliberate sigh. 'It looks like it's the first thing we've agreed on in quite a while.'

The Taelon diplomat looked at him for the first time since he had entered the chamber – and it was far from the kind of look Liam Kincaid wanted to see. If that piercing dignity in the diplomat's eyes could ever evolve into a physical thing, he would clearly be the sole victor in the war with the Jaridians at this very moment.

'Da'an, I'm doing what I can. I haven't slept for three days,' the man restlessly ran a hand through his ruffled hair, which had long been missing the touch of a comb. 'I regret I can't help the others, but I'm doing everything in my power to help you.'

'I do not require your services now that you have clearly offered them elsewhere.'

'Word games. You know I'm working with the Jaridians to save what I can,' Liam said, 'and that includes you and my home planet down below.'

The Taelon said nothing. Energy particles dancing in his eyes shimmered vivid azure against the shadows of the Jaridian warship, and somehow Liam could not help gazing at this beautiful phenomenon with a growing sense of guilt. Despite all the wrongdoings and manipulations of the Taelon Synod, Da'an had always been that one, single spark of light in his life, devoting his frail existence to repairing all the things that had gone amiss ever since his species had arrived on Earth. Of course, any chances of successful cooperation between humanity and the Taelon race had always been dreadfully small – if any at all…

So from the very day they had met Liam had known that eventually Da'an would either turn enough of a hindrance to his own species for the Synod to issue the order of his death, or would be assassinated in an act of revenge by the human Resistance. To his relief, somehow neither of these had happened. The war had ended; it was a disgraceful victory of mankind and the Jaridian Empire, but a victory nonetheless when the Taelon Synod had been forced from power.

Still, of all Taelons, Da'an was the one being that did not deserve to be confined in this dark, wretched place; and yet he was.

A strange sound like the scratching of nails against a firm surface startled Liam out of his ruminations. In the pale lemon glow of the energy shield, the once open, azure-blue eyes illuminated the dark no more – they were tightly shut.

'Da'an?' stung by anxiety, Liam approached the barrier and knelt down as close as the space of the chamber allowed. Only now he could see that the North American Companion was shivering and digging his fingers against the hard surface of the floor. 'Da'an! What's wrong?'

The lack of an answer was an answer in itself and panic made Liam's blood run cold. Could it be that Vorjak had no intention of keeping his part of the agreement and was using some refined torture to torment his prisoner? Perhaps Da'an was not being cared for as well as the Jaridian leader had claimed.

'Da'an, you have to tell me what's wrong with you,' he pleaded.

A deep blush swept over the Taelon's form and his eyes slowly opened to reveal an expression of pain and despair; for a split second the emotions were clear and unbridled before the principle of self-restraint took over. The frantic movements of his fingers ceased, and bright blue eyes regained an expression of superior calm.

Liam took a step back, having realized Da'an assumed the same position he had found him in when he had entered the chamber. The same overconfident dignity.

And then it struck him.

All other members of the Taelon Synod were probably being executed by the Jaridian High Command. Linked with them through the Commonality, the diplomat was in all likelihood experiencing their fear and agony as if they were his own.

In his mind, Liam quickly recalled several newspaper headlines clearly stating the first execution took place four days before. He wasn't sure how much mental suffering a Taelon could take without losing his sanity, but Da'an was clearly approaching the limit. Without thinking much, he walked around the barrier to find himself as close as possible to the alien entity trapped within.

'You have to listen to me and cut off the link,' he insisted.

'No.' Da'an's voice was oddly quiet.

'You can't torment yourself like that. It doesn't help anyone.'

'Has it ever occurred to you that I wish to share my brethren's fate?' Another wave of energy rippled through his pathways at the very reminder of the world which was falling apart before his eyes.

'You're not responsible for –'

'They are as much my responsibility,' the Taelon interrupted, 'as you feel I am yours. Which obviously… should not be the case since I have relieved you of your duty as my Protector.'

Liam placed his hand against the barrier. The sensation was unpleasant, but he strove to ignore it. 'You can't unfriend me, Da'an. This isn't social media.'

The Taelon Ambassador looked to the side with a smirk that would perfectly suit Zo'or's ever-disapproving mien. 'Friendship is an overstatement. People whom you refer to as your friends are at this very moment in the White House, celebrating the destruction of my world.'

Liam lowered his eyes, acutely aware that Da'an's words pinpointed the inconvenient truth he had been trying to keep out of his mind for the last few days.  
To his surprise, however, the diplomat's expression softened somehow when he said: 'We both know you should join them, Liam. Go embrace your fate, and let me embrace mine.'

'You really want that farewell, don't you?'

The Taelon did not answer.

'I'll come here tomorrow, and the day after, and I'll be coming here every single day before Vorjak releases you.' Liam pressed on. 'You can count on my word, I can be a pain in the butt, but I have no intention of giving up on you.'

'With the Commonality gone, I will no longer be the person I am now.'

'It doesn't matter. I will still be waiting for you.'

'I would rather have you keep that memory…,' Da'an lowered his gaze, 'than these which are yet to come if you continue your visits.'

'We'll work it out,' the man mustered a small smile which failed to look convincing even to himself. Inside, he was despaired and doubtful, no less than the alien entity before him. He longed for certainty, for the slightest beam of light in this eternal darkness, but there was none. His species was among the victors, but what a wretched victory it was; he could not have foreseen it in his worst nightmares.

As he was about to speak again, something moved in the pale light of the corridor and he shifted uneasily. Da'an's eyes were immediately riveted on the Jaridian guard whose gorilla-like stature and robust armour cast an unfriendly shadow on the floor as he marched into the chamber. Although the man's visit on the alien battleship was by all means official and Da'an seemed in no immediate danger, Liam instinctively jumped to his feet, blocking the guard's way.

'Vorjak sends his regards,' the Jaridian rumbled clumsily in English, eyeing the human soldier who, though tall for his species, could not even meet him at eye-level.

'I'm glad to see he's kept his part of the deal,' Liam said.

Dark green eyes narrowed. 'He also wishes to remind you not to overstay your welcome.'

'I had to make sure Da'an was unharmed.'

'Now that you have, we wish you a safe return to Earth.'

Liam bit his lip. He was not in the position to argue, although the very thought of leaving Da'an alone with the guard made him more than uncomfortable. He cast one last glance at the Taelon diplomat who was still kneeling on the floor with his hands cuffed in energy locks. Vivid blue eyes stared at the enemy with pride that Liam feared would eventually throw the Jaridian warrior off balance.

* * *

Flat Planet buzzed with life. Loud music, a multitude of toasts and cheers and a strong scent of perfumes created an atmosphere which contrasted markedly with the dark, silent endlessness of the Universe. Liam had never been a socialite, but after several sleepless nights all the booming joy stung his tired eyes more than usual. Not even caring to look around, he headed straight for the bar.

'One Torpedo,' he turned to the bartender, 'and you'd better make it good. I really need something to keep me up and running.'

'One more night without sleep Liam, and that Torpedo will have you going down like a sinking ship,' a seductive female voice commented.

The man did not have to wonder whom it belonged to when Renee Palmer slid onto the chair next to him. Her short cream dress perfectly accentuated all the curves of her body, drawing the gazes of the entire male clientele.

'I see you're a party animal, Renee,' he answered. 'I guess I'd have to lie if I told you I'm surprised.'

'We're celebrating,' she nonchalantly raised a glass of champagne, 'and it's a shame you can't hear your Resistance team drinking toasts. You're one of the leaders… and each night I just see you order that energy booster and leave.'

'I'm kind of busy right now,' he stated pointedly.

'Doing what?'

'I think you know perfectly what it is I'm doing right now,' his eyes narrowed.

She raised an eyebrow. 'You won't help him if you don't sleep. Your apartment has been empty for days. When did you last take a shower?'

'I'm staying in the Volunteer quarters of the Taelon Embassy.' Liam carefully took a sip of the bright green liquid which the bartender had just placed before him. 'You don't have to worry about me.'

'We're friends, Liam. Of course I worry about you.'

'Then help me get him out. I fear that if he spends one more day locked up in there, his confinement is going to turn into a journey you don't get back from.'

For a moment she seemed to hesitate. 'I'll talk to the President again if that soothes your nerves,' she offered.

'Thanks. I'd really appreciate that,' the man said, gulping down the contents of his glass. Then he hastily searched his pockets to produce a tip for the bartender and turned to leave before Renee even managed to protest.

* * *

Heavy Jaridian boots began to clamp against the floor in a recurrent, threatening manner. Confined within an energy cell, Da'an warily opened his eyes, no longer remembering why he had closed them in the first place. His species neither required sleep nor entered any similar state, but somehow the blackness behind his eyelids seemed temptingly comforting. Especially now that his final decision, which he seemed to have been delaying for far too long, had finally been made.

He momentarily glanced at his hands. The fine layer of snow-white skin was slowly giving in the mesh of energy pathways pulsing bright beneath the illusion of a physical appearance. One by one, particles of energy were leaving his body and floating high into the air before – slowly devoured by the shadows of the Jaridian spaceship – they flickered one last time, and died.

Death was a distressing sensation, but now that his entire species had been nearly exterminated, he was not afraid to join his brethren; and even less did he fear the sound of footsteps, disturbing the silence with growing brashness. He could only hope the guard would no more than peek into the chamber the way he usually did, and leave without noticing life slowly pouring out of his species' most valuable captive.

Quite as Da'an had expected, the sound of footsteps ceased, and within seconds a dark shadow was cast upon the slim form of the Taelon diplomat. Not without a surprise, however. Bright blue eyes beheld the visitor in growing discomfort; not a guard, but the Jaridian Leader himself was standing at the entrance.

Vorjak took a step forward and smirked at the delighting view of his once greatest enemy being degraded to a frail form cuffed with energy locks. But as he touched the panel on the wall and the energy barrier separating him from his captive dissolved into particles of energy, his self-confident expression twisted in a grimace of fury.

'Arkh'var!' he raced towards the Taelon Ambassador, gripped him by the neck and virtually slammed him into the adjacent wall. Pinned by the muscular hand of the Jaridian Leader, Da'an did not seem shocked by the reaction. He was determined to accept his fate in silence and dignity, which he had been taught by his species.

'You!' Vorjak rumbled. 'I offer you my hospitality and you're still plotting to escape?'

'Your hospitality… is as impeccable as your sense of justice,' the Taelon ironized.

'As long as you're aboard this ship,' the Jaridian hissed through his teeth, 'you will live whether you want it or not!'

'I was under the impression it was your desire to have me killed.'

Vorjak could not help a sarcastic chuckle. 'Humans are offering valuable resources for your release. Watching your species being ripped apart by the storms of history is the greatest reward I could choose, but one Taelon won't make a difference.'

'Your species shall follow close behi-,' Da'an winced when the grip around his neck tightened, making him unable to speak any further.

'We shall – as victors,' the Jaridian rumbled and his hand around the Taelon's throat clenched.

His captive seemed to be striving to speak, but to Vorjak's satisfaction not a sound left his lips. He was like a game, held tight in the hunter's grasp.

'Know this,' the Leader continued. 'The only reason why I'm letting you go with all the knowledge you have about us is that the humans will never believe you. Otherwise I would have you killed the moment I saw you.'

Da'an felt faint. Almost lethargically, he began to realize that his entire body was becoming numb. A relieving thought occurred to him that perhaps Vorjak's fury would unwittingly offer him the escape he longed for; and a perfect revenge for them both.

That, however, was only until with the corner of his eye he saw a metallic object being produced out of the warrior's pouch.

'How humans would put it, better safe than sorry,' the Jaridian parted the metal bracelet with his teeth and locked it around his captive's wrist. The mechanism clicked and Da'an held his breath as a long-forgotten memory of what this tiny device could do entered his mind.

Before he could react, an electric shock was sent through his system, forcing him out of the suicidal phase his body had entered several hours earlier. He screamed mentally, calling out to his brethren through the Commonality, but in the physical world all that came of his agony was a barely audible moan.

Vorjak loosened the grip on his neck, but no relief came. And on the face of the Jaridian Leader Da'an saw first signs of doubt before his fading consciousness began to guide him into darkness.

* * *

Vorjak watched the ha'kri bracelet force the Taelon's system back into its primary functions, switching the focus of every single energy-cell from self-destruction to survival by means of precisely guided electric current. The small device was commonly used during tortures, rendering any energy-based being (Taelons in particular) unable to command their physical form to dissolve and enter the Void. It had proved effective on many occasions. Now, however, something went wrong. Vorjak knew it when he saw the Taelon's bright blue eyes gradually lose their radiance.

As he released his hold on the diplomat's neck, the Taelon began to slide down and would have collapsed to the floor if he had not been gripped by the Jaridian's strong hands.

'Hav'nar!' the warrior cursed under his breath. Completely ignoring a slim hand which in a futile attempt tried to push him away, he put one arm under his captive's knees and one under the arms before effortlessly lifting him up.

'There's more trouble with you than you're worth, Taelon' he grimaced, noticing that the energy pathways beneath the snow-white skin began pulsing at an unnatural speed. He could almost feel the rapid flow of energy under his fingertips. The diplomat's irides brightened with an intense azure light which died almost completely within a few seconds, as did the energy pattern of his true form. His eyelids drifted shut.

Vorjak frowned. The hand which had been pushing him away slid down and the being in his arms grew disturbingly still and quiet. He cursed again and stormed out of the chamber. He had duties to perform as the leader of his race, and what was supposed to be a usual, standard check on the prisoner had turned to be anything but.

Hurrying down the corridor, he glanced at the unconscious Taelon in his arms. The diplomat could not have suffered much damage due to energy loss since the guard had checked on him three hours earlier and the energy destabilization process had not yet been visible. He had been provided with everything a member of his species might need, and never interrogated or tortured like the rest of the Synod members.

What could have gone wrong?

'Tarvak!' he called as the automatic door to the infirmary slid open before him.

The healer in question immediately turned towards the visitor with astonishment spread across his face. 'Is that…?'

'Check what's wrong with him and fix that,' the Jaridian Leader commanded as he laid the Taelon on one of the empty gurneys. 'I am already late for the meeting with the High Command.'

Without asking any more questions, Tarvak instantly took one of the devices lying on his desk to run a preliminary scan. When the screen displayed first readings, deep concentration creased his forehead.

'That is… unusual,' he said to himself.

Vorjak, who was on his way out of the infirmary, stopped in front of the door as his curiosity took over. 'What is?'

'His energy levels are clearly beyond the standard limits, and shifting continuously.'

'He's ill?'

'No, but… increased doses of energy he has been provided might have actually triggered the phase.'

The other Jaridian grunted. Conversations with members of the Jaridian healer caste had always been a challenge when it came to understanding their purely scientific reasoning. But now his patience was clearly reaching its limit.

'What are you talking about?' he rumbled.

The healer smiled with unconcealed pride of his discovery. 'Ka'atham, obviously.'

And Vorjak's eyes rounded to orbs. There were many things he had been suspecting, but the Taelon reproductive cycle had been out of the question from the beginning. Jaridians were mostly a barren race, as were the Taelons, so he had long accepted the slow descent of his species into oblivion. He had believed his hybrid daughter would be the last one to carry the memory of a great civilization in her genes, but now… a spark of hope brightened his visage.

Being two branches of a single ancient species, the Jaridians and the Taelons shared a common genetic pool, and if his captive was still able to reproduce, his genetic pattern might repair the defect which was driving his species towards extinction.

'The Taelon's well-being is your responsibility from now on,' Vorjak declared. 'I hope I do not need to remind you how precious he is to us.'

'How could I forget,' Tarvak's eyes momentarily brightened into vivid green colour of the Jaridian energy signature. 'You can be certain he will be well cared for.'


	2. Chapter 2

On a warm summer afternoon two young women stopped in front of the gate leading to the Taelon Embassy in Washington and looked at each other with visible discomfort. The half-melted, purple roof most likely damaged by Jaridian lasers stood out against the vivid-orange background of the setting sun. Several trees surrounding the building had been literally degraded to ashes and a pile of rubble was all that was left of the once magnificent fountain.

'O-M-G,' Street grimaced, gazing into the massive hole in the ground burnt by a Jaridian missile. 'This mess looks even worse live than in the news. You're sure you got him right?'

'You know Liam,' Renee answered. 'He's really determined to restore this place to its previous glory.'

'I'm an IT specialist. Not a Taelon engineer and definitely not a miracle-worker.'

The Doors International CEO smiled slightly as she pushed the gate open. 'Liam believes the building may be able to heal itself if the computer systems are fully restored.'

Street cocked an eyebrow.

'Taelon bioengineering is a masterpiece, trust me,' Renee continued, heading to the Embassy entrance. 'You wouldn't believe things I've seen their buildings do. Each structure is a living organism.'

Street raised her gaze to meet the burnt outside wall of the audience chamber. The virtual glass flickered, immediately betraying the damage which the security system must have taken during the invasion. 'I'm not convinced,' she said.

Renee paused. 'Listen, Liam's not going to take the news lightly. So you'd better look convinced when we enter that building. For his sake.'

Juliet sighed. 'Right. Positive attitude is the key to success. Keep telling yourself that and the Universe will follow.' This said, she joined her friend. As they entered the Embassy, unsteady glow of the failing lighting system brightened the corridor. 'Or not,' Street grimaced when the faint buzz of the damaged security system reached her ears. To the left, sparks of energy continued to erupt from within a crack in the wall, and she took a step back.

'Liam?' Renee called.

The only answer was the sound of system shutdown, and before long the lights were turned off, and the flow of energy ceased.

'Come in, it's safe now!' a familiar masculine voice called from the audience chamber.

Street and Renee exchanged glances, and hesitantly entered the room. Liam was bent over the portal controls, visibly trying to reprogram the panel.

'I've been working on it all night,' he declared, 'and it's almost working. It just needs a little more care…' This said, he used a pocketknife to pry open a barely visible cover on the portal base and activated the power supply. With hopeful anticipation, he watched the portal light up with a whirr… and deactivate itself before he even managed to announce his success.

'Darn,' he cursed under his breath. 'Stubborn piece of junk!'

Street could hardly hide her amusement. 'Patience is not one of your virtues, huh?'

Liam only sighed, watching her take a particular interest in the dark plants growing on one of the walls.

'These poor little guys look like dried weeds,' she commented. 'Maybe you need to water them once in a while?'

'How should I know? Da'an would know, but obviously he's not here,' he paused as something else came to his mind, and his expression darkened. 'I had three years to ask that question and never bothered to, because I was too busy fighting with him on almost every issue.'

'Stop blaming yourself,' Renee approached him.

'I am to blame,' he countered. 'I shouted straight in his face that the Synod would one day destroy humanity, and bang! Three weeks later humanity razes HIS civilization to the ground!' He did not move when he felt the woman's hand on his shoulder – a comforting gesture that hardly brought him any comfort at all. 'Neither of us saw that coming,' he added.

'None of us did,' Renee said. 'Street's here to help you with the system, but I fear… we haven't got good news for you.'

Liam straightened up. Tired green eyes looked doubtfully at the woman before him, as if he were unwilling to hear what she was about to communicate. 'Vorjak won't release him today, is that it?' he asked.

Renee bit her lip as an expression of uneasiness spread across her face. 'He's declined our offer.'

She expected her friend to verbally lash out at her, but instead he just stared into distance. It made her wonder whether after multiple nights without sleep he was already too exhausted to comprehend what she was trying to tell him, or maybe the news had paralyzed him into motionless silence.

'Vorjak has changed his mind, I'm sorry,' she offered.

'Vorjak doesn't just change his mind like that,' Liam shook his head. 'Something must have happened.'

'You think Da'an's de-?' Street bit her lip as Renee drove the needle-sharp heel of her stiletto right into her foot. God knew that after years of being a CEO she had perfect aim. Juliette grimaced in her struggle to gulp down an agonizing scream that threatened to get out of her throat as soon as her mouth opened. Although her face was now flushed and cheeks bloated with air she could not risk to breathe out, Liam was too lost in his thoughts to notice the interaction between the two. It only confirmed Street's supposition that most men had been born blind.

'There's no point in repairing the Embassy now,' he concluded eventually. 'It's the first place Vorjak will have searched inside out.'

Renee's eyes grew wide. 'If you're planning to kidnap Da'an, this is going to be…'

'AAAAAA-wesome!' Street took the opportunity to breathe out all the pain in her sore foot. 'Where do we start?'

The blonde woman frowned, silently regretting she hadn't dug her heel deeper.

* * *

It was almost evening when they arrived at Augur's lair. Several months after the hacker had gone out of business in Washington, his half-sister had moved in and was now the lucky owner of a comfy underground residence. For years Liam had known there were two places in the city fully protected from any Earth-based or alien scanners: the Resistance hideout and the apartment of its ingenious designer. After the Jaridian invasion most Resistance members had revealed their identities and that meant the movement headquarters could no longer be considered safe. However, with Augur's apartment the situation was very different.

'You've made yourself a cosy nest here,' Liam commented looking at a colourful collection of lava lamps.

'A world of ultimate relaxation,' Street grinned, taking a bottle of wine from the fridge. She handed it over to Renee, who clearly knew where to find the glasses.

Liam was about to take one , but the Doors International CEO snatched it right from under his nose. He looked at her inquiringly.

'You're not going to get any wine unless you actually eat something first,' she threatened, 'and make sure it's not a Torpedo.'

'There's a burrito in the fridge, just nuke it!' Street called out from the other room.

'I'll get it ready, go do your business,' Renee commanded and before he could protest, she shooed him away from the kitchen.

Somewhat hesitantly, Liam walked into what used to be the living room when Augur still lived here. Several computer screens had taken the place of his favourite plasma TV, and fancy posters decorated the walls where paintings used to hang.

'You like it here?' Street beamed at him from behind one of the monitors. 'This place surely reminds you of the good old times.'

The man bit his lip. What was he supposed to say? Augur was his friend, but Liam had never really felt at home anywhere. He would spent most of his time either in the Taelon Embassy as Da'an's Protector or in the Resistance Headquarters as a secret Liberation agent. Both parts of his life were focused on work, and literally took all his time and energy. Five months ago he had finally bought an apartment, but continuously failed to unpack growing stacks of boxes in the hall.

'A bit,' he answered after some consideration. 'Though I have never put down roots here. Or anywhere, for that matter.'

'You're just like me then,' she said, gesturing for him to have a seat. 'We might have a few things in common.'

'We might,' he said, smiling, 'but before we explore this further, I need some smart upgrade to make a Taeon shuttle unseen to Jaridian radars.'

'Will do,' Juliet nodded. 'Last Roxette's Greatest Hits compilation comes as bonus.'

Liam's smile widened. Augur's sister had that amazing carefree attitude to life he wished he could have as well. Somehow so many things had always depended on him since the very day he was born that he had never actually felt that kind of light-hearted joy. And each day there were more people he had to save, and even more he had become responsible for. At that moment a thought passed through his mind that he had never been on vacation – somehow if he took a day off, the Universe might simply fall apart.

Actually, his world was falling apart right now, and he had no clue how to stop it.  
He had lost the Resistance, and now it seemed that he might lose Da'an, too.

* * *

Bent over several sheets of medical data, Tarvak could hardly keep himself awake. For the past twenty-four hours he had been working non-stop to stabilize the captive's energy levels. Although Taelons and Jaridians shared common genetic roots, a vast distance of time, space and other factors had altered their respective physiognomies to a point where common features no longer encompassed energy distribution. A Taelon healer was likely to solve the problem in no time, but all of them had been executed to Vorjak's command.

How humans would say, the Jaridian Leader had shot himself in the foot. With outmost precision.

All of a sudden a series of short beeps announcing an incoming transmission reverberated through the chamber. Tarvak jerked at the sound, but immediately straightened up when Vojak's face appeared on the screen of the ship's communication system.

'What of the Taelon?' the Jaridian Leader narrowed his eyes.

'I have finally managed to stabilise his energy levels', the healer answered. 'He will awake soon.'

A barely noticeable smile brightened Vorjak's harsh features. 'During the meeting of the High Command his fate has been decided. We shall keep him alive as long as he is capable of bearing us children.'

An ironical grimace curved Tarvak's lips. 'Hundreds of years ago when the Taelons proposed a re-joining of our species, you declined the offer. Has the time come to reconsider the benefits of such a solution?'

The healer's sarcastic remark was clearly not to Vorjak's liking. 'Desperate times require desperate measures,' he rumbled.

'What if the Taelon refuses to join with a member of our species?'

'He will cooperate,' Vorjak's lips tightened, 'or else we shall make him.'

'Taelons are far more resistant to mental manipulation in artificial realities, which you have successfully tested on your human wife,' Tarvak seemed amused by the warrior's ignorance. 'And by physically forcing him into a joining, you risk not only the death of the Taelon, but the immediate death of the thus conceived child as well.'

'All possible losses and gains have already been calculated,' Vorjak stated coldly. 'Do as you are told.'

The healer wanted to protest, but with one movement of his hand the Jaridian Leader effectively waved away whatever he might wish to say. In obedient silence, Tarvak resignedly watched the screen turn black as the transmission ended. Clearly the High Command would not take his warning into account, and the Taelon was likely to die before giving birth to a Taelon-Jaridian hybrid – the first one that could have been born after many millennia of the two species' genetic separation.

He sighed. Concentrated on analysing the results displayed by the interactive panel in his hand, he entered the infirmary to retrieve the captive's medical data. He was about the activate the scanner, but stopped abruptly, feeling something cold touching his forehead.

He looked up. To his utter disbelief, a tall human male was standing before him, pointing an energy gun right at his head.


	3. Chapter 3

'What did you do to him?' Liam Kincaid demanded, firmly holding the gun in his hand.

The Jaridian stared at him as if still disbelieving the sight.

'I'm not that determined to kill you, so if you cooperate, we'll both continue to live our happy lives,' the man pressed his gun harder against the healer's head. 'What did you do to him?'

Tarvak narrowed his eyes. 'The Taelon attempted to enter the Void. I have ensured this would no longer be an option.'

Liam frowned. There was no way to verify whether the Jaridian was telling the truth, but considering Da'an's emotional state in the last few days, a suicide attempt was sadly a likely scenario.

'Turn around,' he ordered gruffly.

The Jaridian did not move.

'I said, turn around!'

This time the healer reluctantly did what he had been commanded to do. Liam began to bind his hands with exactly the same energy locks the Jaridians had previously used on the North American Companion.

'Next time you'll probably think twice before leaving this stuff lying around the unguarded infirmary again,' Liam could not help a triumphant smirk.

'Who are you?' the Jaridian rumbled. 'And how did you get here?'

'Major Liam Kincaid, Companion Protector.'

The alien turned around and looked at him with inscrutable eyes, though the surprise etched in his features was evident.

'I have no reason to conceal my identity. Sandoval would figure it out anyway,' the man craned his neck to have a better look at the control panel on the door leading to a separate, transparent chamber.

'You work for the Synod,' Tarvak seemed disgusted. 'We have liberated your kind, and now you are willing to serve those who had enslaved you of your own free will?'

'I don't work for the Synod, I serve Da'an,' Liam emphasized, accessing the panel. 'Let's see here… I opt for option number five.'

'Quarantine?' the healer grimaced.

'Excellent choice. Enjoy your stay.' This said, Liam confirmed the settings and as soon as the door opened, he unceremoniously shoved the Jaridian into the isolation ward. Tarvak was visibly furious and determined to get out, but before he reached the door, the room had already been sealed.

Through the transparent wall Liam could see the Jaridian was most likely hurling insults at him, but the perfect acoustic isolation ensured undisturbed silence. And even a massive Jaridian boot slammed against the wall did not cause the slightest damage to its glass-like surface.

'A mighty kick,' the man commented as the alien stared at him with a bloodcurdling look in his intense, green eyes, 'but it's just two hours, not worth the drama.'

Having made sure the Jaridian would not escape, Liam rushed to the gurney on which Da'an's motionless form had been laid. The illusion of his physical appearance was occasionally giving in to his true form – a stunning luminescent pattern of energy pathways which as the North American Companion he had been concealing before all humans, his own Protector included, to make them feel less intimidated in his presence. Liam had never actually understood why, because to him this shimmering harmony of lights and shadows was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen in his life.

Running through the medical data, his gaze paused at one of the active screens which had been set to monitor Da'an's internal energy distribution. With growing concern he noticed that the displayed values were much higher than what he remembered them to be from the day of the Companion's kryss overdose. Apart from that, however, his pale, unmoving face was the perfect reflection of his condition on that dreadful day when he was on the brink of death in doctor Curzon's laboratory. Liam felt his throat tighten at the very thought of it.

His warm, human hand gently brushed against the colder, alien one, but the diplomat's features remained as still as before.

'I know I screwed up, but whatever the Jaridians did to you, we'll go through this together,' the man whispered as he gently gathered the Taelon's limp body in his arms, firmly holding him against his chest. 'Just don't die on me.'

As an energy being, Da'an did not weigh more than a human child, but the awareness that the North American Companion's current condition was his fault weighed heavy on his Protector's shoulders. Determined not to get distracted by pangs of guilt, he carried Da'an to the exit and took a quick peek around. The corridor was empty.

'Street?' he addressed the hacker through a miniature microphone fixed to his jacket. 'I'm heading to the shuttle.'

'The scanners show a guard doing a standard inspection in the shuttle bay,' she warned.

'I hope your hologram is as convincing as ever.'

Street huffed. 'Trust me. Your shuttle looks exactly like a Jaridian vessel. What about the guard?

'I kind of have my hands full right now,' hurrying down the corridor, Liam glanced at the unconscious Taelon in his arms. 'Is there any way to lure him out?'

'A remotely controlled robot should do the trick. Stay where you are, I'm piloting it out of the shuttle.'

Liam obediently hid behind a wall and waited. After a short while he could hear a familiar song being played in the distance. As the music grew louder, he peeked into the adjacent corridor, catching a glimpse of a Jaridian guard chasing a swiftly moving metal orb to the music of an old song. He could hardly help a smile. It looked like Street was quite serious when she said that Roxette's Greatest Hits compilation came as bonus.

 _'_ _Hotblooded! I'm hotblooded! I need your loving, I need your love so bad!' –_ the sound reverberated through the corridors, soon catching the attention of another flabbergasted Jaridian warrior.

And among the buzz of energy weapons and shaquarava blasts not a soul heard the intruder's footsteps when he sneaked into the shuttle bay completely unseen.

* * *

Renee was visibly concerned, watching Liam carefully lay the unconscious diplomat on the bed in the guest room. Through all these years she had known Da'an, for the first time she saw him so still; it felt almost awkward to witness his presence without these otherworldly, azure shimmers brightening his eyes and the slow, graceful movements of his hands. Truth was, she believed the Taelons got exactly what they deserved for all the atrocities they had committed, but she cared deeply for Liam, and it was clear how much he wanted Da'an to stay alive.

Despite all the differences between them, their relationship seemed to have reached beyond the frame of the usual duties of a Protector towards his Companion and endured the entire Taelon-human conflict. Still, it was at the cost of deep emotional wounds Liam had sustained by being forced to face Da'an's betrayal and his unwavering loyalty towards a species that seemed driven neither by goodwill nor compassion. After all, protecting those he held dear was something Liam had in his blood, and the North American Companion had always been in the centre of that narrow circle.

To any outside observer, this unbreakable connection they shared was rather ambiguous; a complex, intense and toxic mixture of hatred, mistrust, regret and feelings Renee could never actually comprehend. Constantly refusing to talk about it, Liam had never made it any easier for her to grasp the one thing she had never really understood about him. Stubbornly unwilling to ever take any action against the Taelon Ambassador, he had made himself enemies in the Resistance, and lost most of the respect he had earned throughout several years of his secret life.

Now he looked exhausted, both physically and mentally, but would not allow himself to rest until he fulfilled his duties as Da'an's Protector. Ignoring his friend's disapproving gaze, he moved to reprogram the energy shower.

Truth be told, Renee was shocked the technology was actually there, and quickly calculated he must have installed it on the previous night, which had probably left him with as little as three hours of sleep; or less even. She placed her hand on his arm, hoping to get his attention. 'You should rest, Liam, and I mean it. Da'an is safe here.'

'As soon as I hear it from doctor Park, I will. Right now I need to be certain I did everything humanly possible to ensure he recovers from this.'

'Street's helping Melissa with the equipment,' Renee stated the obvious, trying to read the tiniest bit of information from his immobile face.

The young man bit his lip, and said nothing.

'Did they… torture him?'

'I can't be sure,' he frowned, rubbing his palms together.

'What's wrong with your hands?' she raised an eyebrow.

He shrugged. 'For as long as I had been fuelling my life with Torpedoes, everything was fine. Whatever you've added to that burrito, now I've got a rash, and an itchy one at that.'

Renee sighed. How could she possibly know he had food allergy? She was about to look for an ointment when she nearly collided with Melissa Park in the doorway.

'Thank God you're here,' Liam was visibly relieved.

'Nice to see you too,' she greeted him with a tired smile which was almost instantly replaced by an expression of full concentration as she saw her patient.

'I rescued him from Jaridian captivity,' he said, not quite sure if Street had briefed her on the situation.

'It's not hard to notice when you two are now the most wanted people on the planet,' Melissa carefully took out her scanner and configured it to run a preliminary examination. The screen lit up with a three-dimensional projection of Da'an's body, and his Protector instantly craned his neck to catch a glimpse of the image.

'Well…' she sighed, 'there are obvious signs of physical violence, like that ruptured energy pathway.' Frowning, she pointed to a faintly purple, luminous area around the Taelon's neck, which made Liam painfully visualize the most likely sequence of events. 'The scanner also shows older wounds, all however at a safe distance from the pathways most vital to his survival, almost… calculated.'

'Torture?' Liam wrapped his arms around himself.

'That is most likely, unfortunately,' doctor Park confirmed.

'He has never told me.'

'And you're surprised?' Renee looked at him meaningfully. Da'an, like all the other Taelons, had always been indrawn and reserved. Expecting him to act like a human being, which meant behaving contrary to his nature, seemed to be Liam's greatest mistake, which he kept making over and over.

'I failed as his Protector,' the man closed his eyes, as if unwilling to accept the truth she was trying to emphasize.

'We all make mistakes,' doctor Park offered, 'but for what he's been through, your friend is astoundingly well.'

'What do you mean?'

'The most recent damage has been repaired, which testifies that he was under the care of a Jaridian healer.'

'I can't see how that makes him _astoundingly well_ ,' Liam grimaced, striving to keep himself from rubbing his itchy palms.

'Here, see for yourself,' she extended her hand, placing the small, portable screen right in front of his eyes. 'Despite the injuries, his energy levels are extraordinarily high, enabling his body to heal faster.'

This time it was Renee who cut in. 'How?'

'I suppose that before the Taelons turned into a dying species, Da'an's current energy levels would have been considered normal. Still, I haven't seen such promising results ever since the Taelons came to Earth. I'm actually confused to see a member of their kind with such an intense energy pattern, considering the circumstances.'

'So, you're saying…'

'All he needs is rest and time to heal,' Melissa smiled. 'I can, however, administer a mild medication to speed up his recovery.'

Her statement took a tremendous weight off the young man's mind and he couldn't help demonstrating it in an audible sigh of relief as he slumped into an armchair. He had feared he would not be given another chance to make things right, but here it was, right before him.

In a dreadful, new reality.

Liam shuddered, as the truth began to gnaw at him. What would happen when the Commonality finally ceased to exist? Was the last member of the Taelon race bound to descend into darkness and de-evolve into an Atavus? He did not doubt Da'an would rather die than accept that wretched fate. Even if in some miraculous way this could be prevented and he was mentally and physically capable of living without his brethren, was he actually willing to? For the Taelon diplomat the well-being of his species had always been the sole focus of his existence; there had never been anything he would dare to value over this, not even his own life. Now he might awaken to see a world without them… without hope on the horizon and apparent direction.

With a heavy heart, Liam had to admit his own situation was not significantly better. His life had always been focused on the Liberation and his service to the Companions.

Now all that was gone.

 _One step at a time_ , he thought desperately, _one step at a time…_

* * *

Vorjak stormed into the Bridge with undisguised fury in his vivid green eyes. Ronald Sandoval felt all his muscles tense. Through all these years he had spent serving Zo'or, even in his worse moods the Synod Leader had never looked like a hurricane of pure hatred – which was probably the best way to describe the Jaridian Leader right now. The Implant could almost feel his disturbed skrill hiss at the small squad of guards marching behind the muscular Jaridian warrior.

'You have summoned me,' Sandoval said in his usual, official tone of voice, though it was hard to disguise that it cost him a tremendous amount of effort to conceal his insecurity.

Somewhat disgusted, Vorjak threw a dented metal object to his feet, and the human pre-emptively took a step back. He winced. Was that… a broken toy?

'Primitive human technology,' the Jaridian rumbled, 'but it did serve its purpose, and allowed an intruder to leave the spaceship undetected.'

Sandoval stared at him, unblinking. None of the things he had so far heard made much sense. Was Vorjak actually implying some human had sabotaged the Jaridian warship with the help of a toy?

'Liam Kincaid abducted my Taelon!' Vorjak growled.

The Agent seemed to have finally snapped from his trance. 'Da'an?'

On the verge of losing his patience, the Jaridian did not seem willing to elaborate on something that should have clearly been obvious to a human implanted with a CVI. 'You worked with this man in the service of the Taelon Empire. Can you track him?'

Sandoval nodded wordlessly.

'The Taelon is one of the few chances of survival my species is clinging to,' the Jaridian's jaw clenched. 'He must not be harmed.'

'I do not see how –'

'Understanding does not fall within the scope of your duty,' Vorjak ironically cut him off in mid-sentence. 'Your one and only task is to follow orders. Bring me the Taelon,' his eyes gleamed predatorily, 'and his Protector's head.'

The Agent bit his lip. The Jaridian Leader was quite direct and uncompromising in his methods. He had always known Major Kincaid had a hard time following orders and adapting to changing conditions, but… this? Challenging the Jaridian Empire testified that he must have been completely off his rocker when he had decided to free Vorjak's most valuable prisoner.

Without thinking much, he glanced at his golden watch and frowned. In Washington it was the middle of the night, but obviously his duties would not wait. Seeing that the Jaridian Leader had nothing else to say, he slowly turned to leave.

'If you don't bring him back, my warriors will,' Vorjak lowered his voice, a threatening smirk that the man could not see twisting his lips, 'but if I were you, I would rather flee from that planet when it comes to this.'

In the shadow of the corridor Sandoval strove not to lose his composure, but did not dare to look back.


	4. Chapter 4

Da'an felt shattered. Balancing between a shapeless world of despairing thoughts and the faint glow of reality behind his eyelids, his consciousness could find neither the comfort of rest nor the strength to resurface from the dark abyss. The once melodious voices of the Taelon Commonality had faded into barely audible whispers. After the Jaridians had destroyed the Taelon homeworld, its soft embrace had become his only consolation, sheltering him from the excruciating pain that would have ripped any living being of its sanity. Yet now that the Commonality was slowly disintegrating, the burden of emotional agony seemed to be pulling him into a deep, dark chasm. The only light which had always guided him, faded into a barely visible spark. With the last vestige of hope, he ventured to grasp it, and as his slender fingers came in contact with its warmth, his vision exploded into a haze of colours and scents.

Several minutes had passed before the world around him acquired its proper shape, and the azure luminosity of his eyes unfurled in its intense, bright form. Da'an wearily blinked to find himself in distinctively human surroundings. A small lamp on the bedside cabinet was casting wan light that was barely enough to illuminate the entire room. The bed he was lying upon smelled faintly of roses, which had once been growing in the Embassy garden, but the scent was the only thing in any way familiar to him in this disturbingly windowless habitation.

Da'an blushed and slowly rose to a sitting position. Although he had believed himself mentally strong enough to resist being trapped in an artificial reality, there was no logical explanation for his current surroundings other than an electronically induced illusion; the very technology the Jaridian Leader had used to practice mind control on his human spouse, Lili Marquette. When upon Vorjak's first visit on Earth Da'an had met his former shuttle pilot after almost two years of absence, her delusions had been so strong that not even an experienced telepath could restore her senses.

Now that his own species was on the brink of extinction, perhaps the Taelon Commonality was too weak to offer him sufficient mental strength to see past Vorjak's manipulations.

Carefully, he rose from the bed, and gasped. As the world whirled around him, he felt darkness claim him yet again. Trying to ignore the burning feeling in his palms, he leaned on the wall for support, then closed his eyes in an attempt to stabilize his energy flow and regain his composure. The symptoms were familiar, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He had not entered ka'atham in many decades, and as the Commonality was slowly descending into darkness, it was extremely unlikely for any Taelon to enter the cycle.

Still, despite the increased doses of Taelon core energy the Jaridians had provided him with, Da'an felt drained. A thought occurred to him that perhaps the reason behind it was in fact the Jaridian technology itself; his enemies could have administered almost anything into his system while he was unconscious. Whatever Vorjak had done to him, he feared that in his current condition escaping his artificial world might be an impossible task.

Supporting himself on the wall, he took a few uncertain steps towards the empty door frame. A pale bluish glow was coming from the adjacent chamber.

As he warily entered the room, a young human female he did not recall beamed at him from over a computer screen.

'Hey! You're awake!'

He gazed at her, wondering why Vorjak would actually bother to create a completely new character instead of using the familiar figures etched in his memory. The awkward, patched dress she was wearing clearly suggested the Jaridians had been rather clumsily experimenting with human clothing design.

'Your eyes really glow,' undeterred by her guest's silence, Street clearly could not hide her enthusiasm over her first real-life meeting with an extra-terrestrial being. 'You think I could get that effect with contact lenses?'

The Taelon did not answer. Determined to ignore her confusing presence, he glanced at the computer. Perhaps if he concentrated his mental energy at a certain point of decreased energetic stability, he might actually disrupt the structure of the illusion enough to create a way out.

With growing fascination, Street watched the faint glow of his perfect azure eyes intensify… until a fountain of sparks erupted from her monitor. She jerked, looking down, and her jaw dropped. A huge crack had split her screen in twain and rendered it completely useless.

'Did… did you do that?' she pointed at the broken piece of equipment.

But Da'an would not let himself be distracted. In utter silence, he turned his gaze towards the central processing unit.

'Oh no, you're definitely NOT going to…' Street managed to say before something that looked like an electrical arc triggered by a short circuit literally fried the entire hardware. The computer buzzed its last breath as a thin wisp of smoke was freed from the within the protective case of the central processing unit. 'My baby…' she whined. 'You killed my baby!'

Da'an tilted his head in apparent confusion. Clearly there was no infant in this environment, and even less likely a deceased one. Whoever had designed this reality, had definitely certain gaps in his logic.

'Kincaid!' the young woman stormed out of the room. 'You could have freaking warned me he's got anger management issues!'

Before the North American Companion could try another energy disruption, his panicked former Protector had already reached the entrance. Gazing at the burnt equipment, Liam swallowed hard, realizing that whatever Vorjak had done to Da'an, it must have taken its toll on his sanity; the explanation that followed was sadly a hard proof for that.

'Whatever the accusations are, I am not responsible for the death of any infants, Taelon or human,' the diplomat declared.

'Um…' Liam said dully. 'I'm glad we've had this cleared up.'

Before he could consider his options, however, Street rushed into the room equipped with her latest yoga-themed purchase and ready to defend whatever was left of her hardware.

'Screw you!' she threw a heavy buckwheat cushion at Liam. 'And screw you too!'

And before Da'an could react another cushion had been hurled, this time his way, making him lose his balance and crashing him to the ground.

* * *

Liam watched Da'an stand silently in the corner of the room. Despite the exceptionally good results of medical examination doctor Park had performed, he could not help noticing that the Taelon looked mildly sick. The small vial of the kryss substitute, which he had procured before freeing Da'an from Vorjak's grasp, was still lying on the table, visibly untouched.

'You need to take it,' he carefully gathered the vial into his palm, and extended it towards the diplomat with a note of hopefulness.

In complete silence, Da'an turned his gaze away. He had not spoken at all since the unfortunate event with Street's burnt hardware, which Liam prayed was some awkward misunderstanding rather than the unexpected result of his captivity.

'We both know what's going to happen if you don't,' his voice gained a hint of desperation. 'Be reasonable. The Earth's environment may seriously harm you.'

To the young man's dismay, the only argument he had, had drowned in the overwhelming silence, which seemed to be growing heavier with every passing minute, and truth was Liam was beginning to wonder how long the Companion could possibly ignore him. He sighed. As if some unfathomable force had conspired against him, the symptoms of his allergy not only did not recede, but instead escalated to a point where rubbing would not alleviate the uncomfortable, itching sensation anymore. Lost in his thoughts, he began to repeatedly scratch the skin on the inside on his palms.

Da'an tilted his head, observing him. For a split second his irides brightened with azure shimmers of energy as his gaze met Liam's tired, green eyes. The man tensed, waiting for any kind of verbal reaction; but there was none. It seemed like the Taelon could go on like this forever. His young Protector audibly exhaled a lungful of air. A strange tight feeling began to evolve inside him, as if another minute of silence would make him lose his mind.

'Da'an, you know there's no way to avoid this conversation,' he began. 'We really need to talk.'

Nothing. The diplomat did not even blink.

In an act of desperation, Liam ran a hand across his face. 'What should I do? Beg you?'

'All I required you to know has already been said,' the Taelon declared quietly. 'There is nothing more to say, and shall not be.'

Okay, Liam thought, so Da'an was thoroughly pissed off. The information was not good, but at least it was a start. Slowly, he took a few uncertain steps forward and almost felt himself freeze under the Taelon's ice-cold gaze. 'I know you're angry,' he began, 'and you've got every right to be. But you should consider the fact that whatever I did, I did all of it for you.'

'I sincerely doubt it.'

'I did everything in my power to protect you,' the man felt himself tremble inwardly as he looked at the diplomat with a pained expression. 'I'm sorry it wasn't enough.'

Da'an seemed to be considering his words for a moment. 'Knowing your involvement with the Resistance, I gave you one order that did not conflict with your true loyalty,' he closed his eyes, 'yet you refused to fulfil it.'

Liam bit his lip. He had feared the Companion would sooner than later raise the issue; and once he did, it seemed to have unveiled a deep chasm between them. 'I did what I thought was right,' he murmured.

'Did I not make myself clear?' bright blue eyes shimmered like they always had when betraying the diplomat's irritation; only that now Liam feared the feeling had evolved into something much deeper and darker. 'Your only task at the time was to evacuate the personnel and leave the building. Did I ask too much?'

'The Jaridians threatened to turn the Embassy into a pile of rubble,' the man reasoned, his boyish face grim, 'and they would have done it if I hadn't –'

'For what reason, do you believe, did I issue that order?' the Taelon cut him off in mid-sentence.

Liam felt his emotions take over. 'If I had followed your command, they would have activated the lasers and literally deep-fry you!' he rumbled.

Da'an tilted his head as an ironic smirk twisted his lips. 'When victory is no longer an option, a warrior's only task in battle is to prevent the enemy from capturing a valuable source of classified information, which as a high-ranked member of the Synod, I undoubtedly am,' his piercing gaze seemed to be causing Liam more pain than his accusations. 'People like me are bound to die to prevent irreparable damage being done to those who can yet be saved.'

His Protector said nothing. The muscles in his jaw spasmed, barely giving vent to the frustration which had been building inside him.

'Yet how could you know?' Da'an continued. 'All your military badges are as fake as your identity, and the only war you have ever fought was…' he paused, feeling his lips curve slightly in a bitter smile, 'your conflict with me.'

The young man took a step back. Inside he could feel his emotions roil in him. 'And you're saying this now, after all I did for you? I thought you believed in me!'

'Against my brethren's guidance, I did, and I allowed emotions cloud my judgement' Da'an closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around himself as if the very fact was causing him actual, physical pain. 'The victory is yours to claim. You have seen my species descend into darkness, and forced me to become the final witness of its annihilation… I only wonder… how much pain you are going to inflict upon me until I have atoned for betraying the Resistance.'

'You think this is my revenge?' his Protector was dumbstruck.

'Is it not?'

Unable to control himself any longer, the man hit the wall with his fist. 'Has it ever crossed your mind that I am actually trying to help you?!'

'Somehow each time you do, everything I try to protect from utter destruction, appears to fall apart before my eyes,' Da'an murmured, trying to maintain his composure.

Stretched to the limits of his patience, Liam made a strange, choked sound. 'Take me for an incompetent fool if you want to, but I fulfilled my duty. I have sworn to protect you, and against all odds, you're alive.'

'At what cost?' the Companion blushed, energy pathways beneath his snow-white skin pulsing astoundingly bright. 'You have surrendered to Vorjak's warriors with a promise to one day reclaim my freedom, and though I am no longer his captive, it seems to me that now I am… yours.'

Liam felt his jaw drop. 'You're not a prisoner here…'

'Shall I assume then I am free to leave?'

Liam found himself speechless when each answer that crossed his mind was even worse than the previous one. Feeling his heart ram against his chest, he watched the Taelon leave the room and clearly head for the elevator.

'You can't leave!' having snapped from his trance, he rushed after the North American Companion, attracting the baffled gazes of Renee and Street who were lingering in the kitchen. 'Vorjak's going to have you killed!'

'Indeed, he seems to be the only one among us who never fails to follow his agenda,' the Taelon said without looking back.

'Why do you always have to be so damn stubborn!' this time a mixture of frustration and desperation culminated in a yell of utter fury, and before anyone realized what was happening, the cooker and the oven exploded in a cloud of smoke, which expanded all over the kitchen in a gust of hot, ash-laden air.

'You have got to be kidding me,' Street moaned, scrabbling up from the floor as her face became flushed with rage. 'Who blasted the freaking roast turkey?!'

The chief suspect gazed at her innocently with shimmering, blue eyes. 'If I had a functioning shaquarava to my disposal,' Da'an said, 'I would have never been imprisoned by the Jaridians.'

The explanation seemed coherent enough, so she immediately turned her accusing stare to Liam, suspecting he actually might have used an energy weapon. But Liam clearly had nothing to say. Wide-eyed, he was staring at the bright light, which had erupted from the central part of his palms.

'Uh-oh,' was all she managed to utter.

'Can't blame it on the burrito now,' Renee raised an eyebrow, visibly astounded by the view.


	5. Chapter 5

Renee Palmer welcomed a group of politicians representing the United Nations on the monthly Atlantic National Alliance meeting with an ever enticing smile spread across her face. She had grown to despise that mask, and the longer she was wearing it, the heavier and more difficult to maintain it seemed. Unfortunately, there was no way to give it up now that the situation was extremely tense after Vorjak had officially obliged the American government to arrest Major Liam Kincaid and return the North American Companion unharmed to the custody of the Jaridian High Command.

Considering Liam's unexpected issues with his Kimera legacy, she would rather use the time to show him her support, at least – if nothing else – by keeping him company. However, her absence at the ANA meeting would have been considered at the very least suspicious now that her friend was one of the most wanted people on the planet. Furthermore, her supporters in the Atlantic National Alliance were a reliable source of information, which it would be unwise to leave unused in a time of need. With a gentle nod, she welcomed Hubble Urick in the crowd, who after returning her greeting, engaged in yet another conversation with the President; and she just continued to stand there, like a pretty decoration, for Liam's sake.

'What a charming evening,' she tensed as a familiar, sinister voice sounded right behind her.

'I trust you have not arrived to spoil it, Agent Sandoval,' she smiled without even looking at him, denying him the pleasure of seeing her in any way discomposed.

'To the contrary,' the Agent discreetly smoothed his suit. 'I would rather think we are working on the same side now, Miss Palmer. As you might have heard, I directly serve the Leader of the Jaridian Empire.'

'Your loyalties travel faster than the news, I'm afraid,' she could not help a biting remark. 'To what do I owe the pleasure of your irreplaceable company?'

'Two old friends of ours,' he smirked. 'I have been trusted with the task of delivering Da'an back to the Jaridian battleship and personally ensuring that Major Kincaid is captured and brought before the Jaridian Court of War.'

'I have not heard from either of them since the invasion,' she lied.

'I have expected your answer to be no different,' he commented scathingly as his eyes narrowed, 'but just in case they happen to contact you… I will be around.'

She eyed him with mild repulsion and cursed mentally. With Sandoval breathing down her neck, she would not be able to appear anywhere near Street's apartment in the upcoming days. It looked like Liam would have to manage on his own.

'Is this man imposing his presence on you, Miss Palmer?' Hubble Urick appeared out of nowhere right behind Sandoval's dark silhouette.

'Probably not,' she smiled, visibly relieved. 'I believe he was just leaving.'

If her pointed remark was not lost on him, Sandoval did not let it show. His face remained as immobile as before, and his dark eyes still focused on her as if he were a falcon going round in circles over its potential prey.

'I guarantee you shall be more forthcoming next time fate crosses our paths, Miss Palmer,' he said coldly before turning to leave.

Hubble's eyes suspiciously followed him to the exit. 'It looks like Major Kincaid has got himself in some very serious trouble,' he frowned.

She waved her hand as if dismissing a bothersome thought. 'It's a lifelong tendency. Don't tell me you're surprised.'

'Vorjak can't be fooled for long. Just remember that while you're staying out of it.'

With a friendly nod, she watched him merge with the crowd, wondering how her _staying out of it_ was going to work with Sandoval watching her every move.

* * *

Liam could not stop staring at his hands. Against all expectations, the gentle whirl of luminescence continued to reflect itself in his human, green eyes like an unwanted reminder of something he had thought to be long gone, and gone forever. Several months before he had lost his shaquarava in a quest to destroy the dark matter and save the Taelons from extinction, upon which he was supposed to become fully human. Now the sudden reappearance of his Kimera legacy contradicted everything his father had prophesied.

'Could Ha'gel be wrong?' Liam asked himself, as if still disbelieving. 'He clearly stated I would become fully human if I chose to expel the dark matter… and now…' he fell silent and raised his gaze to meet Da'an's perfectly blue eyes. 'Today I could have hurt, or killed, someone… Renee, Street… or you,' he shuddered at the very thought. 'I can't control the shaquarava.'

'You shall one day discover and explore all the possibilities it offers,' a wan smile momentarily brightened the Taelon's grim features. 'Despite the fears which have been haunting my species for many millennia, it is a gift, Liam. Not a curse.'

The man blinked at him and returned the smile. For the first time Da'an engaged in a conversation with him the way he used to, as if the Jaridian invasion had never been more than a nightmare the world had swiftly awoken from.

'I don't understand what's happening with me,' he confessed.

'Your energy pattern has clearly intensified,' the diplomat remarked.

'What does that mean?'

He watched the Taelon look to the side and blush. His Protector's gaze slowly wandered to the vial of synthetic kryss, which was still lying on the table, exactly where he had left it before the incident.

'Da'an, please,' he insisted. 'Your condition will continue to deteriorate if you don't take the substitute.'

Despite the young man's plea, the North American Companion did not seem convinced it was the right course of action. For a moment he appeared to be hesitating, but as a barely visible grimace of pain crossed his pale features, he allowed his extended hand to return to his side.

Liam sighed. He stood up and curled his hands into fists to make sure the shaquarava would not pose any danger. 'I know the temptation to give up is sometimes greater than one's will to survive,' he began. 'I have watched my mother die in my arms, seen my biological father turn into one of the most abhorrent people I have ever met... and I have faced the betrayal of the one person I felt I could trust,' he paused, biting his lip. 'You.'

Da'an lowered his gaze. Yes, he had betrayed the Resistance. It was the only way to protect Liam from Zo'or's wrath and keep his true identity a secret from the Synod. He had chosen the death of those Liberation members for the sole reason of ensuring that his Protector would remain unharmed. But how could he explain this to a young man with a tendency to view reality in a very simplified form, categorizing every deed as either right or wrong? He knew that any endeavour to explain his reasoning was pointless. Liam was simply too young, too inexperienced to understand.

Still, he seemed undeterred by the unending silence as he slowly walked up to the Taelon diplomat and with a pained expression realized that Da'an had taken a step back and was now standing with his back leaning against the wall.

'You'll never know how many times thoughts of escape, release… have crossed my mind,' he paused, feeling a lump swell up in his throat. 'I stayed only because I knew how much you needed me.'

'I have relieved you of your duties,' the Companion emphasized. 'You are free to live your life the way you have always wanted.'

'You have no idea what I want!' Liam chuckled in disbelief. 'I have always felt it is my responsibility to shield you from the world. Paradoxically, not mine, but your own. A hostile, dark and barren reality you simply cannot let go of.'

'I have already let too many things slip away from my grasp,' although Taelons rarely expressed their emotions, the man could swear there was sorrow in Da'an's voice.

'Yeah, me included,' he commented wryly. 'Though you never really seemed to regret it.'

Da'an blushed at his words, but Liam could not tell whether it was a visual sign of emotional pain or rather physical discomfort caused by the harmful influence of Earth's atmosphere.

'You either take the substitute or I will make you do it,' he threatened, unwilling to wait until the Taelon was seriously harmed.

This time the blush spread across Da'an's entire form, revealing the bright, unsteady flow of energy in his pathways. 'Why do you hate me so?' he murmured brokenly.

'Hate you?' Liam's confusion only grew. 'I'm doing everything in my power to keep you alive.'

'The Commonality is the source of my identity, yet within days it shall dissolve and perish. Is it truly your desire to see me evolve into a deadly, repugnant monster?'

The wrinkles on Liam's forehead smoothed out as understanding dawned on him. So that was the reason why Da'an had been refusing to accept the kryss substitute. He dreaded the possibility of becoming an Atavus again if he continued his existence past the point when the Commonality finally ceased to exist.

'I swear I won't let that happen,' the man felt his lips curve into a smile, 'and you can count on my word.' Invitingly, he extended and uncurled his hand, revealing a vial of kryss substitute resting on a brilliant circle of light.

'If something beyond repair should happen…' Da'an said tightly.

'I gave you my word,' Liam answered before the Companion managed to complete his request. He understood all too well what Da'an was asking of him, but tried to push the distressing thought to the back of his mind. With a fair dose of relief, he watched the diplomat reluctantly empty the content of the vial onto his palm; a deep, purplish blush swept over his pathways as the glimmering dust was absorbed.

Overwhelmed by the effect of the drug, Da'an swayed against the wall. Acting on instinct, Liam immediately closed his hands on the Taelon's arms to steady him.

'I am well,' the diplomat protested. 'Merely – ,' he found himself speechless as Liam's shaquarava flared into bright whorls of light. Delicate ripples of energy merged with his own energy pattern, enclosing him in blissful warmth, which felt somehow familiar.

Da'an tensed. Liam had touched him before, but this time it felt different… His energy pattern was far more intense, the vitality within him more powerful, almost overwhelming, but the young hybrid seemed completely unaware of it. For several years now Liam had looked like an adult human, though in terms of his Kimera legacy he was still a child… or rather used to be, because in its current state, his energy pattern clearly indicated he was entering maturity. The unexpected reappearance of his shaquarava only seemed to confirm that theory.

'Liam?' Da'an murmured, trying to regain control of his human façade, which in contact with much more vibrant and clearly dominant Kimera energy was far harder to maintain.

As if suddenly awoken from a trance, Liam quickly jerked back, obviously convinced that the inadvertent contact had caused the Taelon discomfort or pain. Especially that the wide-open, shimmering eyes stared back at his concerned face in utter silence.

'I'm… I'm sorry,' the young hybrid stammered. 'Did I hurt you?'

Da'an gently shook his head, but found himself groping for words. He was uncertain whether his Protector would welcome the news. After all, once he fully entered maturity, his Kimera part might have a greater impact on his life than he had previously assumed.

'I can't… I can't deactivate them,' Liam mumbled, gazing at the two whorls of light emanating from his palms.

Da'an carefully touched his wrists, allowing his own energy to travel from the tips of his slender fingers into Liam's hands, and watched the light of the shaquarava pale, and disappear. The young hybrid visibly relaxed once the luminescence was gone.

'Magic,' he commented, welcoming the Companion's confused expression with a wan smile. 'You've really got to teach me more of it.'


	6. Chapter 6

Street wiped the sweat off her forehead and sighed. She had planned to spend an enjoyable evening in Flat Planet Café and ended up cleaning the mess in the kitchen instead. She could hardly hide her relief when the instant messenger in her room chimed, attracting her attention away from the half-burnt wall that looked like an experiment gone wrong.

She accepted the call to see Renee's rather dour face on the screen. 'How was the ANA meeting?'

'Can you check if the channel's safe?'

Juliet bit her lip and hastily ran a quick scan. 'I've encoded the transmission, just in case. What's up? You look...'

'Vorjak is desperate to have Da'an back,' Renee lowered her voice, 'and Sandoval's equally determined to prove his newfound loyalty, which is why I guess I won't be paying you any visits for the next few days.'

'You know we _could_ get rid of the problem,' Street winked.

The Doors International CEO raised an eyebrow. 'Thanks, but I'd rather have him see what a dreadfully unexciting businesswoman I've become lately, so he can move on to other leads… further away from us all.'

'Got it,' Juliet nodded, 'and as for your ulterior motives, I've just had that feeling you'd try to avoid the unplanned maintenance of my kitchen.'

'Next time Kincaid blows something up, you've got my word I'll be there to clean the mess,' Renee grinned as the transmission ended.

'Yeah, about that,' Street heard a familiar male voice right behind her and turned around to see Liam's clearly embarrassed expression. 'I owe you an apology for the annihilated kitchen appliances… and the computer. Renee should have warned you that the consequences of having me as a friend are rather…' the young man grimaced, 'apocalyptic.'

'I'll tell you one thing, Liam,' she blinked. 'It was my first kitchen explosion… not caused by heavy partying,' her grin widened as she got up from her task chair. 'I can deal with that kind of stuff.'

Liam returned her smile, but she did not fail to see the shadow which fell across his features, quickly stealing away the last traces of joy.

'So, how's Da'an doing?' she asked, carefully reaching for her glass of chocolate-topped ice latte.

'The Commonality will soon be gone. Without it, I fear that despite my determination I'm going to lose him, too,' he sighed, rubbing his hands. 'Taelons don't take seclusion too well.'

The hacker was about to take a sip, but resigned. 'If the Commonality is a system of psychic links, he's going to have to recreate that pattern in the physical world.'

Liam blinked at her.

'Make some friends, doofus,' she rolled her eyes and playfully punched him in the arm.

The man feigned a look of pain. Friends… Did Taelons have friends? Da'an had never exactly won his trust, and he was not sure if as a Taelon he trusted anyone either, his own species included. He was certainly able to adapt, since Liam could well remember how he had learned to mimic human facial expressions, eventually coming up with the sweetest of smiles his Protector had ever seen. He was fascinated by human culture even when the rest of his species did not bother to familiarize themselves with alien customs; always eager to learn whatever the Universe had sent his way.

Only that… was that enough to become a part of a civilisation that never shared Taelon beliefs and values? Liam was part-human, but even he could not fully grasp some of the core concepts that lay at the foundation for the proud notion of being a human. Whatever future awaited them both, the young hybrid knew there was no other choice but to face the challenge; even if the path ahead involved becoming a tiny bit more human for one of them, and a tiny bit more alien for the other.

* * *

Vorjak's heavy footsteps resounded in the dim corridor of the spaceship, announcing his presence long before he entered the chamber. But even so, the Synod Leader was determined not to give him the satisfaction of feeding his vengeful desire on his defeated enemy's fear and despair. He resumed his human façade with some difficulty; his Jaridian hosts had denied him access to an energy shower and the doses of energy they provided him with were barely enough to keep him conscious.

He was well aware what their aim was; his pain and weakness were paradoxically the only reward they could expect after many millennia of unceasing warfare. Ultimately, once that bitter victory was accomplished, they would perish the same way the Taelons had, having rejected their only hope for survival. Now that death was looming, the great war appeared nothing but a petty argument between two spoiled children who fought to outlive one another. Da'an seemed to consider it as such lately, and Zo'or could hardly believe that now he did, too.

He winced as heavy breathing reached his ears; he did not need to turn around to know who the visitor was.

'The Jaridian Court of War has found you guilty of all charges which were brought against you,' Vorjak announced. 'You will finally pay for your atrocities.'

'I have no regrets,' Zo'or smirked bitterly. 'In the end, your absurd, imaginary victory will cause you as much suffering, as would defeat.'

The Jaridian Leader laughed. 'The opportunity to see your species being ripped to shreds is worth every bit of my pain!' Having touched the panel on the wall, he deactivated the protective barrier, and watched Zo'or slowly turn around to face his foe. 'You have my word I will make your pain worth the effort, too,' he added with an evil grin.

'You wish –,' Zo'or did not have the opportunity to complete his thought when the Jaridian roughly gripped his neck and forcefully shoved him back. The Taelon slammed against the wall with a gasp. Determined to deny his enemy apparent satisfaction, he immediately regained his composure, concealing any trace of physical suffering.

Vorjak was visibly unimpressed by his resolve. Slowly, he walked up to his captive and gripped him by the neck once more, this time pinning him to the wall. 'Despite appearances,' he said coldly, 'death is perhaps better. You would be begging for it anyway once I was done with you.'

And as he activated his shaquarava, tendrils of molten fire rippled through the Taelon's form. In the deadly silence of the battleship, cries of agony echoed through the Commonality like war drums, merging with the sobs of others who were about to share his fate.

* * *

Liam focused both his thoughts and his energy on his palms, the way Da'an had advised him. Still, no matter how hard he tried the only thing that had a chance to appear was a headache.

'I can't do it,' he sighed.

The Taelon tilted his head to the side. 'You are distracted. You need to focus, Liam.'

The young hybrid bit his lip. The fact was, Da'an himself was the distraction. His energy pathways pulsed brighter than before, adding to his snow-white skin a slightly bluish hue. His Protector found it hard to take his eyes off that intriguing glow, until he raised his gaze only to be chided by Da'an's impatient, expressive blue eyes.

'Uh, sorry,' he muttered, somewhat embarrassed. 'I'm really trying, but…'

'Try harder,' the North American Companion stated, as if his advice was the most obvious thing in the world.

Resigned, Liam closed his eyes and directed his thoughts to the shaquarava. This time, however, he began to sense a strange tingling in his hands. His smile broadened as faint, luminescent spirals emerged from beneath his skin, brightening the room.

'First lesson learned,' he announced with unconcealed pride.

'That is not sufficient,' the diplomat commented. 'You must learn to activate your shaquarava faster.'

Liam eyed him curiously. Not sufficient? The Jaridians were tough and violent, but agility was the one thing they lacked. Their bodies were muscular and strong, but too heavy to allow for swift movements, especially now that they were all dying. Taelons might not be nimble either, but at least they moved in a graceful and elegant manner; when compared to them, the Jaridians were mostly like bulls in a china shop. Even if his shaquarava needed a few seconds to flare, it was more than enough for the blast to reach a Jaridian warrior. Unless Da'an did not have Jaridians in mind…

'Who are you training me against?' the bright whorls in the man's palms disappeared as he turned to the Taelon diplomat.

Da'an did not seem willing to reply, at least not until Liam manifestly leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest, making it apparent that this time he would not let the question go unanswered.

'You shall have approximately four seconds before I rip you to shreds,' the Taelon said. 'I must ensure that you use this time… effectively.'

'You're preparing me for the encounter with an Atavus,' Liam frowned.

'Precisely,' Da'an waved his hand. 'I must ensure your safety, and the safety of our hosts. Once my link with the Commonality is severed, the beast I may become shall not have second thoughts about killing you.'

A contemplative look crossed the man's face as he gazed into holographic flames seemingly burning in the electric fireplace designed by J Street.

'You have defied my order by surrendering the Embassy, yet this time you cannot fail, Liam. The consequences would have been…' the Taelon closed his eyes, 'catastrophic for us all.'

'I managed to help you when it last happened. There may be a way to…'

'You reconnected my consciousness to the Commonality. This time there shall be nothing to reconne –,' Da'an paused. Energy rippled through his form, making him momentarily lose his human façade.

'Da'an?' Liam asked, concerned.

The diplomat looked as if he was gathering his thoughts to answer, but as his lips parted, whatever he might wish to say turned into a quiet moan.

Seeing another blush sweep over his form, Liam darted to the Taelon's side and caught him before he collapsed to the floor. Wracked by painful, involuntary shudders, the North American Companion was determined to push him away, but his Protector had no intention of leaving. Against Da'an's will, he pressed his hand against the Taelon's, ready to initiate a sharing.

No sooner had it began than the pain which the diplomat was experiencing hit the young hybrid so strongly that he found himself on the verge of collapsing as well. He instantly released Da'an's palm as if burnt.

'You have to cut off the link!' he urged, quickly concluding what was happening.

But Da'an did not seem to hear or see him anymore. Although his bright blue eyes were open wide in shock, his mind was overwhelmed by visions of anguish he was receiving from the Commonality. It became clear he was either unable to shield himself from his brethren's agony, or – a thought that cast a dark shadow across Liam's features – determined to share their misery.

'You have to leave the Commonality!' the man pressed, afraid that this paralyzing projection of torment and violent death would sooner than later make Da'an lose his sanity.

'I… I cannot…'

'You have to do it now!'

The Taelon shut his eyes tightly. The mental pain was so intense that his body began to reflect it, transmuting it into actual physical response. 'My brethren…' he whispered.

'I'm going to cut that link myself if I have to!' the man threatened.

There was no time to lose. Before Da'an could react, Liam pulled him up against his chest and firmly pressed one of his palms against his. The diplomat tensed, but his Protector had no way of telling whether it was another wave of emotional turmoil he was experiencing through the Commonality or the horror of unavoidable separation from his species.

'I swear, all will be well,' Liam whispered reassuringly, although inside he was plagued by self-doubt. A faint frown of concentration creased his forehead, soon followed by a feeling of warmth flowing through his veins.

His shaquarava flared to life.

The contours of the room vanished in a deluge of light, which washed over everything like a purifying flood. The burning sensation in the young hybrid's palms intensified until he realized he was able neither to deactivate his shaquarava nor to break the contact. He gasped, feeling pain ripple through his body; and the last thing he remembered was Da'an growing limp in his arms, before darkness claimed him as well.


	7. Chapter 7

Da'an felt molten fire flow through his pathways as his child's pain flooded the Commonality, soon followed by the agony of other members of the Taelon Synod executed to Vorjak's command. The pain paralyzed every single particle of his being, breaking through all mental barriers he instinctively strove to create. As it dulled his senses, a longing to join this song of misery welled up inside him since death appeared to be the only way to feel relief and reunite with his brethren and beloved child.

With the last scrap of conscious thought he strove to soothe their suffering, yet his mental strength was too weak when compared against so many thoughts of anguish, despair and fear. He closed his eyes, opening his mind to accompany them on their final journey. Silently hoping to stand at the threshold of the Void alongside his brethren…

Until a familiar presence sneaked into his mind. The voices of the Commonality became quieter, somewhat distant as if some unknown power had shielded him from the world outside. Once the pain diminished to a level where it was somewhat bearable, the presence within him slowly unfolded its power, gently repairing the damage he suffered by healing both his body and his mind. The energy signature seemed familiar, yet much more intense and vibrant than what he remembered it to be…

'Liam?' he whispered faintly, still dazed by the emotional turmoil of the Taelon Commonality.

Instead of an answer, however, he received a warm feeling of reassurance. The Taelon closed his eyes, concluding the young hybrid's mental capabilities had not yet evolved to a point where he could telepathically communicate in a verbal manner.

Although he found himself unable to prevent further interference, he did not feel endangered by his Protector's presence. Still, as a young man with a Kimera heritage, his power was overwhelming and almost impossible to resist – as would any Kimera energy signature be perceived by a Taelon. Extremely fatigued, Da'an eventually let his mental barriers dissolve and nested his consciousness in its warm embrace, accepting it as one would accept the inevitable.

And then he gasped.

Unexpectedly, bright light erupted in his thoughts as the young hybrid's energy flared to a point where the contact between their palms was sealed with a burning sensation of fire. Da'an's eyes widened. Sensing Liam's distress as well, he tried to break the contact, yet all his attempts were futile.

A haze of doubt flurried through his mind as his Protector's consciousness drifted away, chased away by a presence far more authoritative. It was still Liam, but it seemed that in this one moment his Kimera legacy eventually prevailed over the weaker, human part. The young hybrid's mental power advanced further, revitalizing the diplomat's energy pathways and tempting his senses with a purifying kind of bliss. Resisting it grew more difficult with every passing moment.

 _Allow it, Da'an…_

Da'an's apprehension only grew. The voice was persuasive; clearly beneath Liam's soothing, familiar tone lay something much more powerful and ancient. With great confusion the diplomat realized his own energy pattern responded to the alien presence with a vibrant, oscillating flow, unveiling to him the truth he had been avoiding ever since he had left the Jaridian spaceship. Unable to defy the call of ka'atham, he did not resist when the young hybrid drew him closer, enclosing him in a tight embrace.

The luminescent warmth which spread through the Taelon's body blanketed his thoughts before a wave of light submerged his awareness. The particles of his own energy began to mingle with a stronger, more dominant energy pattern. Dimming the last sensation he could feel before his consciousness plunged into darkness…

The creation of a new life.

* * *

Agent Sandoval reluctantly stepped onto the Bridge of the Jaridian warship. To his discontent the new, bright future he had been promised was slowly turning out to be anything but. There was some wicked irony in the way he was always looking for solutions and ended up with a handful of new dilemmas instead. Now that he contemplated his life from a distance, he began to regret his decision to leave Da'an's service.

And it did feel as awkward as it sounded after he had betrayed the Taelons.

What else could be expected? Nothing corrupted a man more than desire for power; it seemed so dreadfully plain and simple now. It was a shame that once he stepped onto that uncertain path, there was no turning back. Even when he had realized that Zo'or had nothing but his own interest in mind, any outwardly expressed desire to leave his service would have most likely resulted in the man's obligatory reimplantation. Walking the fine line between life and death above an endless abyss of uncertainty day by day , he had grown tired of his pitiful existence.

At the point of no return, the only way to get rid of Zo'or was to ally with his greatest enemy; and so he did.

Successfully.

The news of the Synod Leader's death had spread across the ship at the speed of light, but somehow the Implant did not feel relieved. He had hoped that once he had finally allied himself with a race capable of annihilating the Taelons, he would regain his freedom; but he could not have been more wrong. Vorjak effectively eliminated the threat posed by the Taelons, but himself embodied a much more formidable danger.

Da'an had warned him more than once. At that point in time he had not cared to listen, and now the chance to avoid unwanted complications had long been gone. God knew he felt the truth chill him to the bone when Vorjak's ruthless, green eyes met his.

'You bring me nothing,' the Jaridian commented, lacing his voice with contempt.

Sandoval lowered his gaze. It could have gone much worse, after all…

'I regret, I –'

'Nothing!' Vorjak rumbled, hitting the wall with his fist.

The Implant felt himself cringe inwardly at the sight of the dented surface, which remained in the wall after the warrior withdrew his hand. 'The ANA and the American government have been informed of your demands, and accordingly issued an arrest warrant for Major Liam Kincaid,' he said, trying to maintain his composure.

'And Da'an?' the Jaridian's eyes narrowed.

'They claim they have no reason to pursue the Taelon. He has been…' Sandoval swallowed hard, clearly aware what kind of reaction his justification would bring, '… helpful when Earth faced difficult times.'

Vorjak looked like he was going to burst into flames. 'Difficult times he himself caused!'

'If Major Kincaid is located, it is certain Da'an will be with him,' the Implant reasoned. 'Patience may be essential in this case. Such endeavours need time to produce expected results.'

In utter fury, the Jaridian leader ran a hand through his face to the accompaniment of several scornful chuckles which echoed at the opposite end of the Bridge, where the guards stood.

'Agent Sandoval,' he began in a threatening tone, approaching the man like a perfect predator readying itself to attack. 'Do I look like I have time to spare?'

Sandoval did not dare to answer.

'Allow me to make you a generous offer then,' Vorjak's shaquarava flared to life, emanating its deadly, bright radiance into the shadows. He extended his hand, almost touching the chest of his human servant, who suddenly turned pale. 'I give you seventy-two Earth hours. Once that time is over and my captive has not been returned to me, you have my word I will fry your pitiful planet. Literally.'

This said, the warrior manifestly turned around and fired his shaquarava at a nearby monitor, melting it to dust. All that the Implant was able to do was stare at him wide-eyed.

* * *

In the darkness something flickered. An oddly familiar presence lingered at the back of his mind, clearly concealing itself from his inquisitive thoughts. Da'an was too exhausted to be capable of investigating its identity, but for some reason it did not intrude upon his thoughts more than was required to lay the foundation for a basic telepathic contact. Whatever it was, it was powerful… but had a peculiar, soothing quality. The diplomat's awareness strove to resurface from the shadows only to realize he was too weak to open his eyes. He feared the darkness would pull him down again before he felt a steady flow of alien energy revitalize his pathways. As his consciousness began to emerge from the abyss, he sensed another presence; so small that it was barely perceptible, yet it was there…

 _The child…_

Da'an flinched, suddenly feeling a warm touch on his cheek. The soft fingers on his face withdrew, assuring him that no more would be done unless he allowed it.

'You need not fear,' a velvety, masculine voice sounded next to him. 'I will not harm you. The joining has nearly depleted your energy reserve; without assistance, it would be difficult for you to sustain your child.'

Lost in darkness, Da'an could hardly concentrate, but the explanation seemed coherent. He relaxed somewhat, soon feeling a sensation of warmth spreading through his body as the flow of alien energy resumed. Before long the determination to learn the visitor's identity prevailed; the Taelon's perfectly blue eyes opened.

The room was brightly illuminated, almost submerged by dazzling rays of light. He concluded he was lying on a cold surface and slowly discerned Liam's silhouette splayed across the floor next to him, silent and unmoving. The desperate attempt to check his pulse turned out to be futile when Da'an realized that he lacked energy for the slightest movement.

'There is no reason for distress,' the same masculine voice assured. 'He is in no immediate danger. In fact, he shall recover fully within several hours.'

Striving to see through the light, Da'an saw the luminescence unveil a barely discernible humanoid shape kneeling on the floor by his side.

'Ha'gel.' The moment he pronounced the name, anxiety permeated his thoughts. Could it be that the last of the Kimera had returned from the Void to seek revenge for the ultimate annihilation of his species?

With an inviting gesture, the being of light placed its hand upon the Taelon's smaller one, allowing him to touch its mind. Looking into the calm, green eyes, Da'an did not sense ill will. To the contrary – robed in a soothing aura of superior calm, the Kimera did not seem to portray danger. Obviously, he would not hurt Liam – he was his son, and it was extremely unlikely he would choose revenge if it meant hurting his unborn grandchild.

'I am glad you understand,' Ha'gel tilted his head as a faint smile brightened his features.

'I do not…' the Taelon whispered. 'I am deeply… fatigued.'

The Kimera slowly withdrew his hand and turned his gaze to the young hybrid's prone form. 'The conception of a child requires the energy of both parents. My son lacks the knowledge and experience he would possess if he were a trueborn Kimera. Being a hybrid, his control of the inherited powers is yet limited. He has clearly failed to provide the child sired within you with a sufficient amount of energy.' Ha'gel paused, sensing deep sorrow cast a shadow on Da'an's thoughts. 'Fear not, the child is unharmed,' he answered the unspoken question as he gently ran his fingers across the Taelon's lower abdomen, sending thin streaks of light into his system. 'I am here to replenish your energy reserve.'

Da'an closed his eyes. The warmth rapidly spread through his energy pathways, making him feel faint. Driven by curiosity, the infant's emerging awareness sent a quiet inquiry to his parent's mind.

 _Fear not, my child_ , the diplomat answered through their telepathic link. _All is well…_

At first it appeared confused by the presence of an alien being, but as Ha'gel's thoughts of reassurance filled its mind, the Taelon perceived his unborn child begin to curiously nibble at the Kimera energy pattern. A dreamy smile curved Da'an's lips. He had not witnessed the presence of a Taelon child for centuries, and had long lost hope to reproduce again. It was an unexpected gift of fate… in dreadful times.

However, as soon as the infant lapsed into silence, the smile on his pale face vanished. 'My species is responsible for the destruction of yours,' he said tightly as he turned to Ha'gel. 'Since your resentment is not misdirected… you certainly disapprove of Liam's choice…'

'To the contrary,' the Kimera seemed amused. 'I am proud he has chosen you.'

Da'an looked at him, visibly bewildered.

'Despite being born to a civilization which hardly cared for those around them, you have learned to love and defend a species which other members of your kind considered… primitive.'

'I have betrayed my species… and humanity as well,' a note of shame sounded in the diplomat's voice. 'I have failed in every possible way.'

'No,' Ha'gel shook his head. 'Although you were raised to be blind to the truth, you strove to find the answers which lay beyond the surface. You did everything you could to protect this planet from destruction... which makes me regret my son acts like a human when he bases his judgements on fleeting emotions.'

Da'an winced as the memories of his endless arguments with his Protector entered his mind. The never-ending accusations, doubts, mistrust and fear… A toxic blend that seemed to poison every single day of his tenure on Earth. Until Liam had finally betrayed him and surrendered the Embassy before handing him over to the Jaridians.

'His only intention was to save your life,' Ha'gel remarked, having witnessed the Taelon's thoughts. 'Despite his unwillingness to acknowledge it, he is deeply linked to you on an emotional level. The very thought of losing you evokes fear that overwhelms him.'

Da'an seemed confused by the idea. 'Why?'

'Is denial truly so contagious?' Ha'gel's smile widened as he realized that human emotions still remained an unsolved riddle for a being guided primarily by logic. 'Know this. My son shall care for you and your child, and protect you even if it means putting his own life in peril. He shall fulfil his duty to you both as a parent of your child, and your khali'sha,' he softly stroked his fingers across Da'an's cheek, sensing his anxiety over a future that seemed frightful and uncertain.

'I know your doubts, yet they shall soon fade,' he continued. 'A different fate was to await your species, yet neither the Jaridians nor the humans were ready to fulfil their destiny. You are now the last one of your kind… as Liam is the first one of his. The end… and the beginning have reunited.'

The Taelon seemed increasingly doubtful about Ha'gel's vision. 'I am unsure whether the existence of any Taelon is possible without the support of the Commonality.'

'Although the task shall prove difficult, you shall learn to value your new life.'

'My world is gone…' the diplomat felt darkness creep in the corners of his mind as the child began to draw energy from his pathways again, 'and the human world is… alien to me…'

After a moment of consideration, Ha'gel placed both his hands on Da'an's palms and watched his shaquarava gradually brighten into two faint whorls of light. 'Without telepathic skills, humans are limited to words. You need to learn to formulate and express your thoughts, so that those around you may have a chance to understand the beautiful and complex being that you are,' he whispered reassuringly as his energy illuminated the Taelon's pathways.

Unable to resist the darkness creeping at the edge of his vision, Da'an closed his eyes, trying to memorize the last words echoing in his mind before his consciousness slipped away into a fathomless void.

 _Life is a challenge. Accept it, and live it to the fullest…_


	8. Chapter 8

Liam wearily opened his eyes. He felt as if he had just been run over by a car. Every single muscle of his body seemed to be on fire; with the slightest movement, the pain travelled through his bones and into his chest, producing a painful sensation comparable to breathing in a lungful of hot ash. As the memories of the recent events flashed through his mind, he rapidly raised himself to a sitting position – and instantly regretted it when a piercing headache drilled through his skull like a gunshot, blackening his vision.

'Oh God…' he pressed his palms to his temples, hoping to ease the pain. To his astonishment, his shaquarava flared to life against his will, but somehow the gentle flow of energy began to bring him relief. Over time, the pain gradually diminished. Green eyes opened to take a look around. His vision was still blurred, but the memories of what had happened were even more so – vague and fragmented. He remembered attempting to disconnect Da'an from the Commonality before an eruption of dazzling light had knocked him unconscious.

He tensed. Da'an. Where was Da'an?

Trying to ignore the pain, he scrambled to his feet. Of course, the diplomat was nowhere to be seen, and a thought that he actually might have de-evolved into an Atavus crossed the young man's mind. The promise to kill Da'an if such was the case weighed heavy on his shoulders, especially now that he was far from ready to keep it. He had already lost nearly all the people who were dear to him, and adding another one to that dreadful list was, at least in an emotional way, like breaking all hell loose.

A loud smash of something being broken jolted him out of his ruminations. At the very notion of possible danger, the bright whorls of light emerged from within his palms once more before he cautiously peeked out of the room.

* * *

The North American Companion stood quietly, watching colourful drops of liquid continuously shifting their shape inside a broad collection of lava lamps exhibited on multiple shelves in the living room. He had once been told they produced a soothing effect, yet somehow his confusion persisted and his thoughts were in exactly the same turmoil they had been in when he had entered this human chamber half an hour earlier. Miss Street was obviously gone, which Da'an judged as convenient since no-one would inquire about Liam's absence before he recovered fully. The young hybrid seemed to have regained consciousness before entering a deep sleep, splayed on the floor in what the Taelon considered to be an extremely uncomfortable position for a human. Still, he did not try to relocate or disturb him in any other way, hoping that allowing his energy reserve rebuild on its own would ensure his rapid recovery.

Truth was, he feared their imminent, unavoidable conversation. Although any Taelon would welcome the news of gestation with joy, he had heard humans tended to react in most unpredictable ways. Da'an had always known that at some point Liam's Kimera ancestry would drive his instinct to look for a potential mate, and had no doubt that Renee Palmer would be his obvious choice. During his diplomatic activities he had many times witnessed her conversations with human politicians and businessmen. Most of them reacted to her presence with what Da'an considered to be physical attraction; some of them rather clumsily tried to gain her attention by flirting with her (at least, such was the term Liam had once used; the diplomat did not fully grasp its meaning, but understood it was a part of human courtship rituals). He had seen his Protector and Miss Palmer grow close over the years, and before long began to suspect their relation exceeded the boundaries of friendship.

At the time he had been determined to conceal his disappointment. The moment he had met the young hybrid, he had hoped to one day convince him to embrace a more intimate relationship and solve the problem of his species' infertility at least to a point where the Taelon race would no longer be endangered with extinction. As time passed by, however, the hope that fate had placed Liam Kincaid on his way as a future saviour of the Taelon race diminished with each conflict which divided them. Until that chasm became so deep he could no longer call his Protector a friend; and hardly even an ally. Their relationship had evolved into one of mutual distrust and fear; a toxic link beyond repair, which eventually convinced him that Liam would never willingly join with a Taelon.

Only that now… destiny seemed to be laughing in his face.

He was carrying a child, a Taelon-human-Kimera hybrid, the possible solution to his brethren's evolutionary crisis… when the Jaridians had already exterminated his race. The Commonality no longer existed. The presence of the infant's developing awareness somewhat soothed the dreadful silence and loneliness, yet he knew that once it was born, he might have to face something he had never faced before – unfettered, mental solitude which the humans valued as part of their individuality, and the Taelons feared as a dreadful factor capable of triggering insanity.

These were his fears as well, but determined to protect the innocent mind, he chose to filter the thoughts he shared with his unborn child, allowing only peaceful memories of his brethren, homeworld and the infant's second parent into its developing consciousness. The little one enjoyed these soothing thoughts, although its growing curiosity of the world outside was slowly beginning to challenge the truthfulness of these selected images. It seemed to be sensing they constituted only a part of a greater whole, but its inquires remained unanswered.

And the truth was Da'an was deeply confused both by the meaning of recent events and by the changes which were taking place within him. The child he was carrying was matter-based and it appeared his body was adapting to offer the infant the conditions necessary for its further development. Appropriate temperature was one of these factors, it seemed, and Da'an could not help feeling cold ever since he had awoken. This – quite absurd for a Taelon – desire for warmth eventually drove him to warm his hands by a small flame burning in a glass, cup-shaped tealight holder.

At least until he jerked upon hearing Liam's painful moan coming from the guestroom. Before he realized, both the tiny candle and its decorative frame ended up shattered on the floor, and within seconds his alarmed Protector stormed into the room with his shaquarava ready to fire.

The North American Companion stared at him wordlessly.

'Thank God,' the two whorls of light in the young man's palms faded, and before Da'an could apologize for the broken property, Liam enveloped him in a tight hug, clearly overwhelmed by the relief he felt at finding the Companion in his usual, Taelon form.

The diplomat stiffened at the awkward gesture. He had rarely been touched by a human being, and no more than such contact was absolutely necessary. The child immediately recognized its second parent's physical presence, and Da'an felt its mild inquiry.

'Liam?' he said quietly, unsure what else to say.

'Oh, sorry,' embarrassed, his Protector instantly took a step back, quickly recalling how adamant all Taelons were when it came to avoiding physical contact with other beings. 'Personal space, I get it. I don't even know why I did that...' he looked to the side, realizing how oddly true the explanation was. He had never acted in such an emotional manner in any Taelon's presence.

The diplomat took a preventive step back as well, as if afraid that his Protector could attempt this strange, discomforting behaviour again. 'Are you well?' he asked.

'I woke up on the floor and I feel like I've been run over by a truck,' Liam winced. 'I don't even remember what exactly happened after I had shielded you from the voices of the Commonality.'

Da'an said nothing, gazing at him with wide open, unblinking blue eyes.

'I guess you won't help me figure it out then,' a small smile brightened the man's visage. He was not surprised; explanations had never been a Taelon thing. But then something else drew his attention. He frowned, noticing a barely visible aura of faint luminescence marking the contours of the diplomat's silhouette. He had never seen any Taelon emanate such glow while displaying a human façade.

'You look… different,' he observed.

'That is because I…' Da'an appeared bewildered. 'I… I seem to…'

His Protector raised an eyebrow. It was strange to see the diplomat groping for words before he eventually resigned himself to saying nothing at all.

'It's alright,' Liam said finally, breaking the uneasy silence. 'I understand, trust me, I really do.'

The Taelon did not look convinced.

'You spent your entire life in the Taelon Commonality, and your brethren were all you had ever had. I know that now it may seem like you've lost everything, but...' Liam paused, suddenly feeling the burden of Da'an's lies and betrayal. What he intended to say was not easy after all that had happened, but he felt it should be said. 'I am your friend, and always will be.'

'Your words bring me solace,' the diplomat lowered his gaze, 'yet we both know human world is no place for a Taelon, and Vorjak shall not stop hunting me.'

'The latter is my concern, and you have my word I'll figure out a way to deal with him,' Liam gestured for Da'an to take a seat on the sofa and joined him once he had. 'Just… care to tell me what you were doing with the candles?'

'I am cold,' the Taelon confessed.

'Cold?' Liam was clearly surprised. 'I thought the Taelons only perceived cold below minus sixty degrees Fahrenheit, which you could probably find… around the North Pole.'

'That is correct,' the diplomat nodded, 'yet somehow the very fact does not relieve the discomfort,' he paused as if considering something. 'Do you happen to have more candles?'

Liam grinned at the odd request. 'I'll fetch an electric blanket.'

'It would be much appreciated,' Da'an said unnecessarily.

* * *

In the bar of the Imperial Hotel Renee Palmer took a sip of her martini as she glanced at the huge plasma screen mounted on the opposite wall. The clock struck seven p.m. and a smartly dressed television presenter welcomed the viewers with his usual pathetic anecdote.

Much like the TV programme, the hotel left a lot to be desired, although she remembered when in the days of its past glory it would host major corporate events for Doors International. Now a fine layer of dust upon the walls testified to its uncertain future, and despite enjoying a brilliant and successful career, Renee could not help thinking that her life had taken the same miserable direction. Otherwise she would not be sitting all alone in a middle-class hotel bar, unable to return to her own flat in fear of meeting Ronald Sandoval.

'Earthquakes off the Pacific coast can trigger powerful tsunami waves,' the TV presenter's statement was accompanied with a hand gesture to demonstrate the size of the phenomenon. 'As we're about to see the broadcast from Tokyo where the cataclysm had struck two years ago, our expert –'

Renee frowned as the transmission was interrupted by static; the image of the TV presenter blurred before being replaced by the all-too-well familiar face of the Jaridian Leader. A deep frown creased his forehead, which immediately communicated to her he had reached the limit of his patience.

'People of Earth,' he rumbled. 'I am Vorjak, the leader of the Jaridian species, to which you owe the liberation of Earth from the Taelon dominion. A human soldier, Major Liam Kincaid, has captured the North American Companion Da'an held aboard one of our warships as a Jaridian prisoner of war. The American government has been notified of this act of treason, but the actions it has taken have proved insufficient.'

Renee jerked as her global beeped. She instantly received the call only to see Hubble Urick's sickly grey face. 'Are you watching this?'

'Yeah,' she answered, looking up.

'This leaves us no choice,' Vorjak continued. 'You are granted seventy-two hours to deliver both of them to the Jaridian High Command, else your planet should be destroyed. Do not try our patience. Unlike the Taelons, my species keeps its promises.'

'You may soon learn I do as well, Miss Palmer.'

Renee stiffened. The moment when the transmission ended, she felt a familiar presence creep behind her. She quickly disconnected the call from Hubble and turned around to face the owner of the dark, dispassionate voice.

'Agent Sandoval. What a surprise,' she said dismissively.

'I do believe our cooperation is more likely now,' a smirk of self-satisfaction curved his thin lips, 'since as proud members of the human species both of us should have the well-being of our race in mind.'

Renee suddenly felt sick. The very fact that Sandoval was appealing to her humanity seemed like one of those bad jokes Jonathan Doors had used to torment his cooperatives with. 'We have had this conversation before,' she emphasized, 'and I've already said I have nothing to do with – '

'I did hear you the first time, Miss Palmer.'

'I am relieved, then. I began to suspect your Implant was malfunctioning if you were hard of hearing.'

Trying to withhold his irritation, Sandoval cleared his throat. 'Let me make myself clear. We both know you have never had any sympathies with the Taelons, and there's no reason you'd possibly want to risk your life and position for Da'an.'

She raised an eyebrow, trying to read from his immobile face any suggestion of what he was actually aiming at.

'If the Taelon captive is returned, I won't look for Major Kincaid and Vorjak's determination to have Earth destroyed will fade.' The Agent's dark eyes narrowed. 'It's a win-win situation.'

She said nothing as she turned away from him, casting a weary glance at the cityscape sunken in the darkness of the night, but he could feel her resolve falter. In the distance the gloriously illuminated snow-white dome of the Capitol was fighting its silent battle with the shadows. Somehow Earth's future appeared dreadfully bleak despite its radiance; the symbol of a proud nation, a great democracy and most cherished human freedom seemed to mean so little after one alien species had nearly enslaved mankind and another was threatening to destroy the planet.

'You know I'm right,' undeterred by her silence, he continued his monologue. 'You and me may be fighting on two different sides of the barricade, but neither of us wants to see our world turned to ashes.'

She glanced at him with disdain. 'I see a drowning man clutching at a straw.'

'In which case I can guarantee you we are both going to be clutching at it in exactly seventy-two hours,' Sandoval eyed her carefully, but her expression in no way betrayed the emotions hiding behind her ever charming smile. 'And all this because the man you're protecting seems to be getting himself, and those around him, in the worst kind of trouble.'

'It's the one thing you two seem to have in common.'

His grin faded, and fell. 'An astute observation.'

She did not react, pretending to be leisurely taking another sip of her martini.

'Just in case you'd like to know, you won't be followed tonight,' he glanced down at his pocket watch before slowly turning away from her. 'Take it for a gesture of goodwill, but remember the clock is ticking. As a person who might yet change the fate of this planet, you might wish to use this time… efficiently.'

This said, he left the bar, leaving the Doors International CEO alone with her doubts.


	9. Chapter 9

**I hope someone is still reading this...**

 **If you'd like to comment/review, feel free to do so, every kind of feedback will be greatly appreciated :)**

 **This story is still a work-in-progress.**

* * *

Liam hurriedly entered the guestroom with an enormous, wobbly stack of sandwiches. He could feel his stomach cramp and twist from hunger, although Da'an's big blue eyes seemed to have widened even more at the sight of the amount of food his Protector had every intention to consume.

'Are we expecting visitors?' the diplomat inquired quietly.

The young hybrid pointed his finger at the Taelon's slender form looking somewhat ridiculous when wrapped in three blankets. 'I'm not commenting on your heap of blankets, you're not commenting on my heap of food, and no-one gets compromised,' he said humorously before flinging himself into the armchair. 'Besides, I'm starving.'

Da'an blinked in response. 'I fear such amount of nourishment is… inadequate for a single human.'

Liam glanced at his stomach. He began to wonder if the diplomat had actually implied he was getting plump, but could not ask the question directly with his mouth already full.

'I am implying you could do yourself harm, Liam,' the Taelon tilted his head.

His Protector's eyes narrowed. 'Wait a minute… Have you… Have you sneaked into my mind?'

Da'an smiled innocently. In the aftermath of his joining with Liam their minds would stay linked for some time. Although as a being with telepathic skills, the Taelon could isolate not only his own thoughts, but the mental presence of their offspring as well, Liam was too inexperienced to be capable of creating a mental barrier of any level.

'Okay,' the man took a deep breath. 'I know it's hard for you to stay alone with your own thoughts without the Commonality, but for humans that's personal space. You can't just enter my mind like that.'

'I apologize. It was not my intention to intrude.'

A small smile brightened Liam's features as a sign that the apology had been accepted before he quickly resumed consumption. Da'an was observing him with growing curiosity. Clearly the Kimera part of his system required increased doses of energy to complete its next stage of development, but human nourishment was unlikely to assuage that hunger. Perhaps in the next few days his Protector might need to use an energy shower…

The Taelon blushed as the sensation of cold swept through his form again. Concerned for its parent's well-being, the child sent a mild inquiry through their telepathic link.

 _I am well, my child. Merely fatigued._

Carefully shielded from its parent's discomfort, the infant lapsed back into slumber. Da'an felt uneasy lying to his own offspring, but if it grew disturbed, the unpleasant side effects of carrying a matter-based child were likely to increase. He opened his eyes to meet Liam's suspicious gaze riveted upon him.

'I am well,' he said, anticipating his Protector's question.

'If this doesn't end in the next few hours, I'm going to call the human doctor who examined you when I brought you here.'

'This will not be necessary.'

The young hybrid frowned. 'This is extremely necessary. What you're experiencing isn't normal for a Taelon, and we both know it.'

Da'an said nothing. He was uncertain whether Liam was prepared for the information he would soon be forced to impart to him. In the past his Protector had frequently demanded answers with unwavering resolve so typical of humans, and it was only a matter of time until he began to demand them again. Obviously he would stand his ground, but a human doctor did not possess sufficient knowledge to assist in any possible way and the help of a Taelon healer was no longer an option. A medical examination conducted by an inexperienced physician might upset or even harm the infant, not to mention the danger which the gathered medical data would put both of them in if other individuals were to learn of the child's heritage.

'I do not require medical help,' the Taelon said after a moment of consideration. 'If you wish me to honour your privacy, I believe our agreement should apply… both ways.'

His Protector sighed as he rose from the armchair and slowly walked up to the wall. 'I'm setting the thermostat to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. It's the most I can do if you don't want to see us all melt in here.'

'I am grateful for your help, Liam,' Da'an blushed, 'yet I am capable of dealing with the situation without causing you, or your human companions, discomfort. I have already become a,' he paused, mentally searching the human lexicon for the correct term, 'nuisance.'

Quite surprised by the confession, the young hybrid slowly seated himself on the opposite side of the bed. 'You're not a nuisance, nor have ever been one.'

'Had my species survived, your friends would consider me at the very least a threat if not their deadly enemy. My presence is tolerated for your sake, however we both know I am…,' the Taelon closed his eyes, 'unwelcome.'

'You're wrong, Da'an,' Liam protested.

'I wish such was the case.'

'It's more complicated than that. Being part of the Resistance has always meant approaching everyone outside the organization with distrust. This kind of attitude has saved more lives than you can imagine.'

The diplomat did not seem convinced, but as he was about to form an answer, his energy pathways brightened into a maze of pale cerulean. It was with some difficulty that he regained his human façade only to find his Protector's vivid green eyes staring at him.

'My standpoint remains,' he said before Liam could make another suggestion of calling a human healer.

'But just in case –'

'Your concern is appreciated, yet unnecessary at this time.'

The man sighed resignedly. He slid off the bed and approached its opposite end, hoping that rearranging the blankets would make Da'an more comfortable.

And then he stiffened. A burning sensation erupted in his palms, awakening his shaquarava. He instantly jerked back and squeezed his hands into fists, realizing that his Kimera legacy had slipped out of his control again.

Somehow Da'an did not fear this power as much as he did. Before Liam could protest, the Taelon's snow-white fingers came in contact with his skin and enclosed the deadly luminescence in their grasp. For this one moment, Liam felt his heart stop in his chest. His lips twitched. He thought an inevitable blast of energy would crash the Taelon against the wall, but for some reason nothing of the sort happened. As time passed by, he relaxed, feeling a soothing flow of cool Taelon energy ripple through his hands.

'You should keep away when things like that happen,' he said nonetheless. 'I don't want to hurt you.'

'You will not,' a small smile curved the diplomat's lips as he slowly uncurled Liam's fingers to reveal two whorls of light in the middle of his palms. 'You control your Kimera heritage on a subconscious level.'

'Until I learn to control it consciously, it poses a deadly threat to everyone around me.'

'To the contrary,' Da'an carefully placed his palms over the shaquarava. 'I have come to realize its power is as deadly as it is invigorating.'

Liam froze, expecting the worst, but the only thing he felt was the very same, gentle flow of energy intensify slightly before it reversed its direction. Streaks of luminescent molten gold from within his palms began floating into the Taelon's hands and not without astonishment the man realized that Da'an's pathways had resumed their natural, purplish hue.

Slowly, the snow-white palms slid away from Liam's burning shaquarava. The Taelon's eyes opened to reveal an astounding depth of bright azure.

'I feel much better now,' he said. 'Thank you.'

His Protector looked confused, watching the light in his palms fade. 'I didn't do anything.'

The diplomat tilted his head to the side as he gestured for Liam to take a seat by his side. Although to Da'an's growing amusement, his gesture triggered only greater confusion, the young hybrid eventually did as he was told. He had no clue as to what had just happened, and was hoping for some kind of an explanation, or a hint at least. Sadly, neither would come on its own. Taelons had always been persistently unwilling to share their secrets unless confronted about them directly.

'So, you're saying…' Liam began, quite unsuccessfully trying to analyze the situation in terms of a logical approach. 'You're saying that… I actually… I have no idea what you're saying,' in utter misery, he ran his hand through his face.

Da'an could feel the unborn child's amusement at its second parent's statement, and as a result found it hard to conceal his own. Feeling an increasing desire for regeneration, however, with a small smile on his lips, he rested his head on Liam's shoulder and closed his eyes.

The young hybrid fidgeted. He did not recall the North American Companion ever wishing for physical contact of his own free will; and now he was almost snuggled against his arm, drifting away in some kind of a deep meditation. Liam actually would not mind it if the large plate of sandwiches had not been left at the opposite end of the room. A grimace of discomfort twisted his face while his stomach rumbled, manifestly reminding him of his insatiable appetite. In an act of desperation, he uttered a quiet whine, which Da'an either did not hear or simply disregarded.

Thus, expecting the approaching night to be the longest one in his entire life, Major Liam Kincaid carefully rearranged the blankets and closed his eyes as well.

* * *

Da'an opened his eyes, feeling the child's mental activity increase. Driven by curiosity, its developing consciousness was striving to reach the mind of its second parent, but was continuously prevented from it by the mental barrier the Taelon had erected. At first the infant reacted with mild confusion, but its repeated, unsuccessful attempts to bypass the blockade eventually led to frustration.

 _Not yet_ , Da'an sent a feeling of mild reassurance through their telepathic link. _Your presence would deeply confuse him._

The answer he provided resulted in yet another inquiry from the child.

The Taelon smiled at his offspring's inquisitiveness. _He is not yet aware of your existence._

Again, the child was determined to know the reason, but this time the diplomat chose to keep his thoughts to himself, and patiently waited until the infant's consciousness drifted into a tranquil slumber.

The truth was, his initial unwillingness to disclose the outcome of the joining to Liam had been prompted by doubt. He had heard it was not uncommon among humans to reject and abandon their children, which strongly affected not only their development and self-esteem, but also future relations with other members of their kind. It was one of the reasons why he had created the Volunteers program in the past – to give these unwanted young people what their parents had clearly failed to provide.

Somehow he could not imagine any of his own children to suffer such trauma. Taelons never abandoned their offspring. Neither in the far-off days of prosperity, nor in the times when his race had found itself on the brink of extinction. When at the end of their journey his brethren had encountered a new sentient species, he had not believed any parent to be emotionally capable of abandoning their own child.

But despite the arguments of logic, humans did.

To a great extent, Liam behaved like a human being and Da'an still could not decide whether it was a blessing or a curse. Although the Kimera part of his consciousness would eagerly await their offspring, as a human his Protector was distrustful and quick-tempered. Since their relationship had long gone awry, the Taelon did not expect he would welcome the news with joy and dreaded the infant's distress upon experiencing a possible parental rejection.

Of course, he was well aware of Liam's complicated family history and his difficult relationship with his biological father; his desire for stability was visible in everything he did, and particularly in his determination to protect those he held dear. At some point in his life the young hybrid's longing for the family he lacked would prevail, but he would undoubtedly choose a human partner – one that could offer him a safe, carefree future, possibly devoid of complications and misunderstandings. The very life he had dreamed of, and the very life Da'an had simply no means to offer to him.

Slowly, the Taelon lifted his head from his Protector's shoulder, careful not to disturb his sleep. With a small smile he noticed that Liam was the one wrapped in blankets now, and the fact that small crystals of frost were climbing up the ends of his ruffled hair clearly explained why.

The thermostat.

Da'an glanced at the panel on the wall, quickly concluding that once his body temperature had returned to its normal level, he must have instinctively concentrated his mental energy on reprogramming the device. Delicate patterns of rime which wound around the carpet clearly testified that the temperature had fallen much below what humans perceived as comfortable. Concentrating his mental energy this time on a fully conscious level, Da'an adjusted the settings of the thermostat to ensure a comfortable environment adequate for a human. This settled, he rested his gaze on the young man's fine features.

Watching his Protector's youthful face while he was sleeping, he realized he had never had the opportunity to see him in such a tranquil state of mind. Not in the Embassy, and certainly not in his company… If such emotional peace was what humans described as happiness then perhaps Liam had already found understanding and acceptance… among his own species. The diplomat hesitated. The man in front of him was a good person. He deserved every bit of happiness there was to at least somewhat balance the pain he had so far experienced. Perhaps it would be best to quietly disappear before his human life was shattered beyond repair…

Haunted by a myriad of secrets, those which he had to keep and those he had not yet learned, the young man had a small number of friends to whom he had entrusted the truth about his Kimera heritage, and a high position in the Resistance, which seemed to play an important part in his life. He had little, but Da'an knew how much he cherished it… at least now he knew. A year before when he had betrayed the Resistance, Liam's fury and pain over a loss that could not have been avoided had unexpectedly exploded in the young man's eyes like flames of fire when he had stormed into the audience chamber.

Those flames might have long been gone, but the pain… lingered on.

The Resistance was Liam's only family, and that day he had lost nearly half of it. Although Da'an had always known that the conflict between humans and Taelons would at some point demand victims, his Protector's words spoken that day had left a deep scar; and Liam's wound was probably even deeper. Fate had been wrong all along; the brave new world which unfurled beneath a clear blue sky would offer neither of them solace. Their unborn child might mean hope for the future, but it would not erase the past; some wounds were simply too deep to ever heal.

Torn between the joy of carrying this new life within him and the despair over his species' final annihilation and his own uncertain fate, Da'an could not help a small sigh.

His Protector either was a light sleeper or the low temperature had finally begun to bother him, because his eyes cracked open at this barely audible sound – and then glazed over as the frost stung his eyeballs. He stiffened. As his muscles tensed, he felt every cell of his body whine in agony, and even a large gulp of air he had thoughtlessly inhaled seemed to be shattering his lungs with tiny shards of ice.

'Oh G-g-god,' he groaned, feeling his teeth beginning to chatter from the cold. 'What has hap-p-pened here?'

Da'an gazed at him with unblinking blue eyes. 'I believe I must have accidentally reprogrammed the thermostat,' he waved his hand in a typically Taelon manner. 'The temperature shall soon return to a comfortable level.'

Although his expression was still one of shock, Liam looked mildly suspicious, but could not gather his thoughts to form a logical answer. He felt as if his brain had been frozen. He moaned in frustration before he dived under the blankets, this time leaving only the tips of his toes out. The Companion could not help a smile at the view, which disappeared almost instantly when a gentle knock on the door sounded in the corridor.

'Come in,' Liam called without needing to ask who it was.

Da'an watched Juliet Street enter the room with a cup of tea and a strange expression on her face.

'Uh,' she raised an eyebrow seeing tiny crystals of frost shimmering all over the room. 'Celebrating Christmas in July?'

'Taelons can't seem to be able to stop exp-p-perimenting,' Liam's wry, trembling voice sounded from under several layers of thick covering.

Street grinned. 'Renee's going to be here in half an hour. She said you need to talk.'

'As soon as the winter's over,' the heap of blankets commented.


	10. Chapter 10

Liam Kincaid raised his head as the familiar clicking of Renee's high heels sounded in the corridor. Her face was grim and tight when she entered the room, and he did not fail to see that her disarranged hair was wet from the rain. Whatever was so urgent to have her forget about the usual perfect appearance, he did not doubt he would regret it if he asked.

'Trouble?' he eyed her carefully.

She bit her lip, glancing at J Street, who was sitting on the sofa with a laptop on her lap and a concerned look on her face. 'You earned it,' she said bitterly as she produced a global from the pocket of her jacket and threw it Liam's way. Despite being taken by surprise, the man effortlessly caught the device.

'Where's Da'an?' she asked, tentatively looking behind her back.

'Reclining in an energy shower in the guestroom. Why?'

'Play the most recent transmission.'

Liam did not have to be asked twice. A deep frown creased his forehead when Vorjak's grimacing, wrinkled face appeared on the screen accompanied by the low, rough voice characteristic of his species. Renee watched the young man's lips tighten while he listened to the message. Although the Jaridian's demands were to be expected, the final threat awakened a predatory glint in the hybrid's eyes, which continued to cast a dark shadow over his features even after the transmission had ended.

'I'll deal with him,' he said simply.

'How?' Renee smirked with undisguised irony. 'Do you happen to have your own war fleet hidden under the bed?'

'I said I'm going to deal with him, and I will,' Liam rose from the armchair with a dark expression on his face.

'This crisis can be solved in one way only and we both know what the price is.'

The man grabbed his leather jacket and began to put it on. 'I'm not going to let any Jaridian anywhere near Da'an. I thought that much was clear.'

'You'd rather risk the destruction of the planet?' the Doors International CEO instantly blocked his way and her eyes narrowed. 'Doom humanity for the sake of a Taelon? Is that it?'

'I have said no such thing,' Liam's jaw clenched.

'The Taelons lied to us, manipulated our government and shoved us into a foreign war we did not wish for,' Renee continued even once he had turned away from her. 'They used us, willing to sacrifice the entire human species if it ensured achieving their own goals.'

The man said nothing.

'How long can you deceive yourself,' she went on nonetheless, 'and pretend Da'an did not participate in managing that agenda?'

'What did you expect?' Liam frowned. 'That he would simply betray his own species for an alien race he had barely known for five years?'

'And you're asking me? You were the one who introduced him to the Resistance!'

Liam was trying to keep calm, but his tension was slowly leading him down a dangerous road, especially since he still did not have full control over his Kimera heritage. Mindful of the deadly power he possessed, he clenched his hands into fists to ensure his shaquarava would not be activated through the anger welling up inside him. 'We needed his help,' he argued, 'as much as he needed us to show him he wouldn't be alone if he chose to aid us in our efforts.'

'Just keep telling yourself that.'

'You can't deny that he did help us on several occasions.'

Renee felt her blood boil. 'Only to betray us in the long run!'

Driven to the limits of his patience, the young hybrid turned to face her with every intention of countering her accusations, but in the end his lips parted without a sound. Renee raised an eyebrow at this unexpected reaction. When she turned to see the reason behind it, her eyes widened as she met the bright blue gaze of the North American Companion, who had clearly been standing in the door frame for some time now.

'I believe you are correct in your judgement, Miss Palmer,' he said quietly as he waved his hand the way she remembered him do during all his public appearances. 'However, at the time I was hoping a different future awaited both our races.'

'What kind of future did you have in mind when you betrayed the Resistance?' Renee asked with apparent sarcasm, disregarding Liam's piercing gaze, which reached her with the precision of a bullet.

Da'an's only answer was a pale opalescent blush which swept over his form.

Still, she was by no means discouraged. 'I never trusted you, but there were others who did. Somehow I'm not surprised that most of them are dead now.'

'Renee, that's enough,' Liam interjected. The diplomat's shimmering eyes hardly betrayed any emotions, but having been working for the North American Companion for over three years now, the man did not fail to see the hint of sorrow which lay beyond the surface of his perfect mask of dignity.

'I have made difficult choices,' the Taelon said to his own defence, 'and although most of them were not to your liking, they were necessary.'

'Necessary for whom?' Renee pressed. 'I don't think you've ever considered the well-being of humanity while making these decisions.'

'Your disappointment is understandable, however –'

'Disappointment?!' she cut him off in mid-sentence. 'Zo'or might have been cruel and ruthless, but with him around we at least knew where we stood.'

As she mentioned the Synod Leader's name, Da'an lost his human façade, struck anew by the pain of loss. The memory of Zo'or's painful death evoked a sensation of deep sorrow and the diplomat instantly sensed his unborn offspring's disquiet. Simultaneous effort to conceal his own thoughts from its developing consciousness and active participation in the discussion was a challenge, especially when the infant's discomfort directly triggered his own.

'At some point Liam truly trusted you and this was the reason why we nearly lost this conflict,' Renee raised an eyebrow when the man in question took a step forward, positioning himself between her and the Taelon diplomat.

'You will stop this right now,' his voice gained an intimidating undertone.

Da'an blinked, clearly confused by his Protector's reaction. Not long before he himself had been making similar accusations in the audience chamber of the Taelon Embassy.

Undeterred by the man's threatening stance, Renee met him at eye level. 'I'm your friend, Liam, and you really need to wake up. We both know the Taelons got what they deserved, and Da'an should be no exception he- .'

'I said enough!' he rumbled.

The Companion jerked, his azure eyes turning to orbs. For a split second the mental barrier he had erected around the child's mind was weakened by the distraction, allowing images and sounds from the outside world to enter its consciousness unfiltered. Frightened, the infant whined upon witnessing Liam's evident verbal aggression, and although the Taelon instinctively surrounded it with thoughts of comfort and peace, it did not lapse into ease.

The man frowned, and Da'an instantly took a step back, having realized that the moment he became distracted, the child might have established a basic telepathic contact with its second parent. Liam's awkward expression indeed testified that this might have been the case.

'First you're testing my patience and now you're whining,' he turned to Renee, who was clearly offended by the accusation.

'Go clean your ears, Kincaid,' she hissed.

'You know what? I actually might. I've had enough of this pointless argument,' he declared. 'I'm going to deal with Vorjak my way, and you can continue your rant elsewhere.' This said, he turned towards the elevator.

'Liam?' Da'an appeared confused. 'Where are you going?'

Although he was the first one to ask, the question was visible in Renee's bewildered features as well. 'Be reasonable,' she warned when no answer came. 'The moment you set your foot on the surface, you'll be tracked and arrested.'

Liam clearly ignored her warning and turned to Da'an instead. 'I promise I'll be back as soon as I can,' he said, mustering a small smile which he hoped would bring the diplomat some comfort despite the difficult situation they had both found themselves in. Leaving Da'an with Renee did not seem like a good idea right now, but he scarcely had any other choice when there was no time to spare.

'You'll be safe here,' he added before looking questioningly at J Street, who had been observing the entire conversation in utter silence from the very beginning.

To his relief, she answered his unspoken question with a nod.

* * *

Renee glanced at the alien being standing in the corner of the room. Da'an had neither moved nor spoken since Liam's departure and the awkward silence was becoming more unbearable with every passing minute. Nonetheless, the situation seemed to impose that uneasy effect on the Doors International CEO only, because the Taelon diplomat appeared to have some natural predisposition to standing motionlessly without the need for any kind of reaction to the outside world. Reading emotions from a Taelon's face had always been like finding the right direction in an endless maze, but the slow movements of Da'an's fingers appeared to testify that he was no less worried for his Protector than she was. Though the fact was, one could never be sure what thoughts were really swarming in an alien mind.

'This should keep us going for the remainder of the night,' Street came in with two cups of coffee; its calming scent instantly permeated the room, but Renee was far too anxious to appreciate her friend's gesture.

'We can't help him while we're sitting here,' she said.

'Where do you think he went?'

'How should I know?' Renee sighed. She found it hard to admit it, but the truth was Liam's attitude towards her had changed considerably after the Jaridian invasion. Although he had never said it openly, she felt his frustration over the fact that the Atlantic National Alliance had allied itself with the Jaridians and openly refused to defend the Taelons. For some reason (and she did not doubt Da'an's involvement) her friend had chosen to protect the manipulative, selfish alien species even when nearly the entire mankind would rather see it annihilated.

'He wouldn't go directly to Vorjak, would he?' Street asked.

Da'an's eyes flashed at the mention of the Jaridian Leader's name. 'Why do you suspect he would take such a reckless course of action?' he inquired, visibly bothered by the prospect.

'Vorjak threatens to destroy Earth if you are not delivered back to him,' Renee said tightly, 'but I'm guessing you suspected this would happen.'

The Taelon lowered his gaze. 'I feared he might act in a possessive manner towards the object of his revenge. It was the reason why I had relieved Liam of his duty as my Protector.'

'Liam has always been more than your Protector, Da'an, and once he's into something, he's not the kind of person who just lets go.'

'I regret I have not realized the extent of his engagement sooner,' the Taelon said quietly.

The confession might seem genuine, but Renee's gaze was still mistrustful. 'It's a little too late for that,' she remarked bitterly. The emotional pain she had accumulated throughout the years of the Taelons' presence on Earth reflected itself in an unceasing suspicion in her judging eyes. 'Liam treated you as a friend, but all you've ever done in return was repaying him with betrayal.'

The diplomat glanced at her abruptly, clearly startled by her accusation. 'I would have chosen a different course of action, had there been a more hopeful alternative.'

'I'm guessing that standing by his side wasn't hopeful enough then?' she ironized.

'As a member of the Taelon Synod, I could not afford to be Liam's friend in a manner that you suggest, yet I spared as many of my resources as it was possible at the time to protect his secret.'

'What's the point in keeping his secret if you're ruining his life?'

A flush of energy rippled over Da'an's pale features, making him look mildly sick. It was with some difficulty that he regained his human façade. 'Please, elaborate.'

Renee manifestly crossed her arms. 'Despite disagreeing with his point of view on some level, the Resistance had once held him in high esteem for his courage and determination. But when it became clear that in spite of your true motives, he would never openly stand against you, those who had once been supporting him, turned against him.'

The Taelon Ambassador's features did not betray his thoughts, but as he lowered his gaze, Renee could sense his dwindling resolve.

'He's either your Protector or the leader of the Resistance, Da'an, he can't be both,' she continued. 'As long as people believed the former was just a smart subterfuge to gain information, all was fine, but now… If he still has friends in the Resistance, he's losing them at this very moment as he endangers humanity to save you.'

Da'an looked to the side. It was evident he was striving to form an answer, but somehow it seemed that his diplomatic skills were of little help when truth could no longer be avoided. 'It has not been my wish that he do so,' he waved his hand, although Renee did not fail to notice the way it trembled slightly.

'It's never your wish, but somehow everything around you just keeps falling apart.'

This time the Taelon bristled a little before looking up at her with cold, unblinking eyes and dignified, silent anger which she remembered well from those distant times when he had still been an influential figure in the Taelon hierarchy. 'A willingness to understand is a rare virtue,' he said cryptically, 'yet if you are unable to do as much, have the decency to cease judging me.'

Renee bit her lip. In that one moment when she saw Da'an's eyes flare with Taelon energy, an emotion which strangely resembled a faint look of hurt unfurled within and she began to wonder if some residual traces of human emotions which he had stolen from her younger brother could have somehow been left in his system.

'This isn't helping anyone,' Street remarked, hoping to defuse the situation.

'Obviously,' Renee said. 'But I know what could help, and so does he.'

The Companion said nothing.

'If Liam continues down this road, he's going to end up dead in a matter of days!' Renee's breaking voice perfectly mirrored her frustration even when the artificial mask of professional conduct she had been trained to keep up at all times in no way betrayed the emotions roiling inside. 'Is that what you want?!'

Da'an took a step back, clearly uncertain if she was expecting any answer at all.

'Renee, please,' Street interjected before she could continue. 'We're all in a difficult situation right now, and lashing out at one another is just making things worse.'

But the Doors International CEO did not even look in her direction as if she had not heard her at all. Instead, she approached the Taelon diplomat. 'If this is the final blow you have planned to finish him off with, I guess I should congratulate you on your efficiency, Da'an,' she hissed into his ear.

Before he could answer, however, she turned away from him and stormed out of the room. With his bright blue eyes open wide, the Taelon watched the door slide shut behind her with a whir.

In the awkward silence that followed, Street slowly rose from the sofa and walked up to him, hesitating. 'Renee didn't mean what she said, Da'an,' she began. 'She's frustrated, that's all, and your species hasn't exactly made her life any easier.'

'I nurse no grudge,' he answered. 'She has suffered great pain… some of which I have personally caused.'

Street let out a small sigh of relief as she finally began to appreciate his typically Taelon, reasonable and logical approach to life. It appeared that her friend had indeed misjudged the alien Ambassador. He seemed to be no less concerned than she was, only perhaps in a quieter and more restrained, introverted way.

'I have never wished harm to come Liam's way,' he said, unknowingly confirming her assumption. 'I have asked for none of what I have been given; neither my freedom nor his mercy… not even…' his voice faded, and after a while it became clear he was not going to complete his thought.

Street did not dare to break the silence. Without a word more, Da'an approached the automatic door and left the room as soon as it opened upon registering his presence. In that one moment when he glanced at her for the last time with a glimmer of sadness in his alien eyes, he looked like a wretched shadow of his former self, and she did not need to ask why.

'Where are you going?' the hacker hurried after him.

'Liam has assured me I am no prisoner here. If I am free to leave, I wish to exercise that right.'

Her jaw dropped. 'You'll be tracked.'

'I am grateful for your concern,' he slowly moved past her, and she barely caught a glimpse of a wistful smile which for a split second curved his pale lips, 'yet I have long accepted my fate as it is, if not counting a single spark of hope which faded far too soon.'


	11. Chapter 11

Hubble Urick inserted a thin, metallic identity card into the scanner before the door to his personal apartment slid open. Having unenthusiastically entered the dimly lit room, he placed his suitcase by the wall, feeling all his muscles relax as the nerve-wracking day was finally coming to its end in the dead of the night. Sadly, the very fact did not soothe his troubled mind. Knowing all too well what could, he bowed to retrieve a bottle of bourbon from the drinks cabinet; and froze. Something had moved in the corridor which led to the dining room. His hand immediately slid down to reach for the gun.

'You know the rules,' a harsh masculine voice sounded right behind him. 'If you take out your gun, I'll take out mine, and then it all ends up the Clint Eastwood way.'

A wide grin brightened Hubble's tired face. 'I've never suspected you're into westerns, Major Kincaid,' he said as he straightened up with a half-empty, crystal bottle in his hand. 'Since I'm not really into the genre, would you care for a drink?'

Liam smiled at the offer as he returned the energy weapon to the pocket of his jacket. 'Not today. It's going to be a busy night for me.'

Hubble shrugged. 'I have heard,' he began, pouring the cold, amber-hued alcohol into his glass, 'you've got yourself in some serious, intergalactic trouble.'

'I had to get Da'an out of there. Vorjak is not the kind of person you can trust.'

'He's not the kind of person you can ignore either,' the FBI Director remarked. 'You're probably aware of his ultimatum, and being a patriot who doesn't want to see this country turned to ashes, I should probably have you arrested and delivered to the Jaridian High Command.'

Liam raised an eyebrow. 'We both know you're too smart to do that.'

'Am I?' Hubble's dark eyes narrowed.

The young man was by no means discouraged, although his face was showing far more confidence than he felt. 'With the Taelons gone, Jaridians were left with no-one powerful enough to restrain their appetite for conquest,' he said. 'It would be foolish of you to get rid of their last opponents, especially when Da'an has got the knowledge, and I – the means, even if limited, to make their life miserable.'

Hubble ensconced himself in an armchair. 'You're looking for allies then.'

'Aren't you?' Liam's emerald eyes gleamed in the dark.

The older man gazed at him, analysing his features before he took another sip of his bourbon. 'Now that you've got my attention, I'm all ears,' he said simply.

* * *

Da'an was thankful that humans required several hours of sleep and nearly all of them chose to enter this vulnerable state of mental unconsciousness when darkness befell their settlements. In the middle of the night the streets of Washington were almost empty; and he felt immense relief upon concluding that after all he was likely to reach the Embassy unseen.

The route was known to him from those far-off days when – determined to protect Liam from Zo'or's unpredictable intrigues – he had chosen to use a tracking device to know where his young Protector was at all times. In that point in time he had been striving to ensure the hybrid's safety, bearing in mind what fate the Synod Leader had prepared for his first Protector, William Boone. Of course, now he was well aware that Liam would not appreciate the gesture if he knew, but the detailed knowledge of the route which he had once used to reach the Embassy from his underground residence remained.

The distance to be covered was probably within the reach of every healthy human, and of most Taelons as well, but after half an hour of going on foot, Da'an began to experience discomfort and fatigue. Considering his condition, it did not come as a surprise. His unborn child was restless and determined to know what had driven its parent to abandon the warm, comfortable environment and exchange it for a strenuous walk in the dark. Gentle thoughts of reassurance were of little help when the diplomat himself could hardly keep his emotions under control.

For the first time in several hundred years… he was truly afraid.

Fear was an unusual sensation. He had almost forgotten it when his consciousness had been resting in the warm embrace of the Taelon Commonality. Even when imprisoned by the Jaridians, he had feared neither the agony of deliberately inflicted pain nor the passage into the next level, because his brethren had always been at the back of his mind to soothe whatever mental or physical strain he was to experience.

That night, however, he was alone.

Somehow he did not dread his own death at the hands of the Jaridians – he had known for years that his species stood no chance of winning the war, and had long accepted his fate. But his child… The instinct to protect his offspring was strong, calling to him to turn back and at least in some measure postpone the inevitable. His resolve not to succumb to his instincts barely managed to withstand their call, and against Da'an's wishes, the infant's apprehension continued to grow.

As he stopped and leaned on a nearby tree, the child quietly expressed its concern.

 _I am well, my child. Do not fret._

The infant's wordless emotional response carried a hint of uncertainty and sorrow, which Da'an unsuccessfully strove to soothe.

 _I regret there is no other way_ , he whispered through their mental link. _No other way but this…_

The infant's mental presence embraced his consciousness tightly, as if afraid to be separated from its parent's mind. Da'an smiled at the gesture, and mentally cuddled the unborn. It made a delighted sound which reminded the diplomat of squeaking, and slowly began to nibble at his pathways, drawing energy from its parent's system.

Instantly shielding his doubts from his child's mind, Da'an stiffened as the sudden loss of energy had almost left him on the verge of collapsing. In the gestation period Taelon infants needed roughly half the amount of energy his hybrid child required for its development. As the dark thought that he might not be physically capable of sustaining his offspring occurred to him, Da'an shoved it to the back of his mind. Little time was left until sunrise, and he needed to reach the Embassy before first rays of light speared the panorama of the human city.

* * *

Ronald Sandoval's dark eyes gleamed as he glanced at his global, analysing the data he was receiving from several drones equipped with energy-tracking sensors he had dispatched in less-favoured districts of the city. Liam Kincaid was reasonable enough to keep Da'an away from crowded places, so the Agent's choice of monitored areas was rather obvious – and he could not help a triumphant smirk when his logical assumption had finally paid off. Ten minutes earlier one of the sensors had registered traces of Taelon energy in the immediate vicinity of the Taelon Embassy – or whatever was left of it.

The alarm might still be false considering the fact that – being a great achievement of Taelon bioengineers – the building itself contained alien energy, but Sandoval was too vigilant to ignore even the least reliable lead. As the door of his car was slammed shut and the cool night air filled his lungs, his fatigued eyes gradually turned to orbs. He had not visited the Embassy ever since the invasion and only now realized the extent of the damage it had taken during the attack. Having been forced to defend the Mothership at the time, he had little cared about Taelon outposts on Earth, but now it occurred to him Da'an must have been defending the Embassy long past the point where surrendering had become the only reasonable option.

After several unsuccessful attempts to open the dented western gate, the man resisted the urge to instantly dismantle the damn thing with a skrill blast, and resigned himself to climbing up the fence. At that point he truly regretted giving up his usual workout routine. One careless move was enough for the sharp, metal edge of the protective barrier to cut into his hand. He winced, but quickly disregarded the sensation as the full extent of the destruction which had befallen the Taelon outpost was reflected in his dark eyes.

In the pale moonlight the once magnificent garden seemed underpinned by an undefinable, threatening quality. Pieces of the marble fountain were scattered all over the path accompanied by organic rubble and half-burnt trees – a deadly testimony to the power of Jaridian missiles. The man skilfully jumped down on the other side of the fence and paused for a moment, gazing at this apocalyptic scenery with an odd longing for a world which – though now shattered – continued its existence in the perfect memories preserved by his CVI.

A wistful grimace curved his lips. It occurred to him that despite all the pain he had suffered, the cybervirus implanted in his brain would never let him completely unlove that delicate, alien world of fragile beauty which many years ago Da'an had mesmerized him with.

Now that it was gone, the fear that Earth might soon mirror its fate cast a dark shadow on his thoughts. For years he had lived his life burning one bridge after another, leaving nothing but ashes in his wake. Driven by a desire to move on to a more promising future no matter the cost, so that one day the world would see him reaching that undefined aim, which could finally satisfy his unbridled ambition. Only that once his homeworld was destroyed… that final bridge burnt down… and the ultimate price paid…

…where would he go?

The wailing wind faded in the distance as the world left that question disturbingly unanswered.

* * *

Da'an shakily walked into the audience chamber. His human façade was barely visible as thin, white and blue lines of glowing energy shone their way through the illusion of his physical appearance. He tilted his head, observing pale moonlight descend upon the floor through a massive hole burnt in the purple roof by the lasers of a Jaridian fighter squadron. The bioslurry walls emanated their own pale radiance as well, and the diplomat with astonishment realized that the building must have entered its regeneration phase. Since the process could only be activated by manual reprogramming, it was evident someone had been taking care of the Embassy during his absence.

As Da'an's curiosity took over, the wall dissolved beneath his gentle touch, revealing the programming panel.

'Sha'enaa,' he commanded in Eunoia.

The password instantly granted him unrestrained access to the central processing unit. The computer displayed the list of recent modifications via a flickering data stream, which clearly testified to the damage the system had taken during the attack.

The first few positions on the list marked with _Kincaid L., Maj._ awakened a small smile on the Taelon's lips. It appeared Liam had been attempting to repair the internal security system, inconsistencies in energy distribution and the half-melted portal. The energy shower in his private quarters was missing, but that came as no surprise, since the young man had clearly moved it to his friend's underground apartment.

Da'an closed his eyes. In recent years he and Liam had fought frequently, and there were times he had doubted his Protector's loyalty. Having been captured by the Jaridians, he had believed the young hybrid had finally given in to the temptation of punishing him for betraying the Resistance. Now he came to realize that his assumptions had been flawed from the very beginning. Liam's determination to repair this last Taelon bastion of fading hope proved he was devoted to ensuring the well-being of the very Taelon he had sworn to protect despite his involvement in the Resistance… and despite the diplomat's betrayal.

Feeling his body shudder from weakness, the North American Companion leaned on the wall. The long walk to reach the Embassy had not quite unexpectedly demanded a tremendous amount of effort and a dose of energy, which in his current condition he was reluctant to spare. Still, although his decision to leave his place of sanctuary might have seemed unreasonable at first, now he was certain he had chosen the right course of action.

Despite his loyalty towards a race which hardly respected humanity, for the past few years Liam had been endangering his own life to protect him, even if it meant losing the trust of his own people. If there was a final sacrifice to be made, he could not allow his Protector to step upon this path. Liam was young and had many years of life yet before him – dying in a foreign war was far from his destiny, and Vorjak – not matter how long one tried to reason with him – was too obsessed with revenge to simply let go.

A shadow swept across the Taelon's blue eyes. Vorjak's final blow was not meant for a human; which still did not guarantee he would refrain from destroying the entire planet on a whim.

Afraid that these dark thoughts might eventually upset his unborn child, Da'an banished them from his mind and slowly approached his throne-like chair. He could only hope that the energy shower in the audience chamber was still functional. With a soft murmur the infant gently inquired about their surroundings, which – having spent most of its short existence in a rather dull, isolated environment – it continued to perceive as increasingly fascinating. Da'an smiled, for the briefest of moments forgetting the dark fate he was bound to choose for himself and his offspring. The infant's attempts to communicate with him soothed the mental solitude, which remained after the Commonality had dissolved.

 _You seem increasingly curious about the world outside_ _, ash'lin_ , he whispered softly in Eunoia as his hand came to rest on his abdomen.

The child gurgled.

Unearthing the memory of the tranquil landscapes of the Taelon homeworld from the deepest recesses of his mind, Da'an felt the infant's curiosity increase. It squeaked in pleasure upon witnessing the breathtaking images of the Tha'ia mountains, which its parent shared through their telepathic link.

The Taelon reacted with mild amusement. _I am glad the vista pleases you._

Gurgling, the child lapsed back into its own thoughts.

As he resurfaced from the world of fond memories, it was with certain apprehension that the diplomat realized he was shivering. The small amount of energy left in his system began to fade once the infant's unceasing appetite drove it to softly nimble at his pathways again. Da'an closed his eyes. He perceived his energy reserve had been almost depleted, but could not bring himself to deny his offspring what it needed to survive.

 _You are the greatest gift I could wish for_ _,_ he gently caressed the child's psyche before guiding tiny particles of energy into its pathways. _Whatever the price is…_

Sensing its parent's discomfort, the child expressed its concern, but this time the Taelon's fatigue rendered him unable to shield the truth about his condition from its consciousness.

The infant whimpered.

Weakened, Da'an started to collapse, but was suddenly grasped from behind. Two strong hands, clearly human, as the diplomat judged with the last scrap of conscious thought, effortlessly picked him up like a child. He was too fatigued to protest or open his eyes to learn the person's identity. The only sensation he felt before darkness claimed him was the pleasant warmth of tiny particles of energy revitalizing his pathways as the energy shower was activated.


	12. Chapter 12

Ronald Sandoval's expression carried a hint of silent satisfaction as he watched the energy shower deactivate itself once the system registered the Taelon's consciousness return to its normal state. Da'an slowly blinked himself to awareness. His human façade gradually resurfaced to veil the luminescence of his true form with a thin layer of velvety, alabaster skin.

Despite his fatigue, he immediately registered his former attaché's presence. Standing motionlessly in front of the virtual glass of the audience chamber, he reminded the Taelon of a gargoyle which he had seen sculpted on the edifice of a historic building during one of his visits in Europe. Determined to conceal every sign of physical or emotional weakness, Da'an straightened in his chair and raised his gaze.

The Implant's face hardly betrayed his emotions, but the diplomat did not fail to notice the triumphant glint in his eyes. His overconfident stance was as familiar as it was disquieting.

'Welcome back, Da'an,' the man's cunning smile faded as he met a pair of perfectly blue, judging eyes that appeared to pointedly emphasize his betrayal.

It did not come as a surprise that his greeting was left unanswered.

'I must admit I didn't expect to find you here,' the Agent continued nonetheless, 'especially without Major Kincaid's invaluable assistance.' He paused, watching a pale glow sweep across the Taelon's azure eyes. It made him wonder if it reflected an emotional reaction or was simply an after-effect of the extensive time Da'an had spent in the energy shower. 'Pardon my curiosity... but where is he?' he asked, somewhat bothered by the thought that the North American Companion's Protector might still be lurking around.

The Taelon looked away. 'He is not here,' he said simply.

Sandoval considered the answer for a moment. His six-year-long experience in Companion service had painfully taught him that Da'an would share his knowledge with a human only if he was actually willing to do so. Trying to obtain any kind of information from him against his will was likely to result in persistent silence, which would abruptly bring the conversation to its end.

It seemed that his short, concise answer would have to suffice, after all.

The Implant took a few steps forward, which elicited an expression of mild discomfort on the diplomat's face. 'You had to know the place was under surveillance after Major Kincaid had liberated you,' his dark eyes narrowed. 'What has driven you to come here despite the risk of falling into the Jaridians' hands?'

Da'an appeared determined to avoid eye-contact.

Sandoval raised an eyebrow. 'Your current level of energy is barely enough for you to survive. What has happened to you?'

Again, no answer came, but this time the Taelon reacted with a faint blush, which his former Protector had learnt to recognize as a sign of emotional disquiet.

'For a reason yet unknown to me, Vorjak is deeply concerned for your well-being. I'm guessing he must have replenished your energy reserve,' the Implant continued, clearly awaiting some kind of verbal response, which obviously would not come. The Taelon sat in his chair in utter silence, visibly devoting his entire attention to the floor in front of him.

'How is it possible you have used nearly all of the energy he provided you with?'

No reaction. The diplomat did not even blink.

'Damn it, we both know I did what I had to,' Sandoval snapped as his frustration took over. 'There was no chance I would willingly risk the existence of my species to save yours.'

Da'an looked up at him with mild repulsion. 'That was to be expected… yet I cannot claim to fathom why you are explaining this to me.'

Sandoval cast an annoyed glance at his pocket watch. Truth be told, he could offer no reasonable explanation. Da'an's cold dignity was an impressive force which seemed to have found its way into his CVI's malfunctioning motivational imperative; he remembered that odd feeling of guilt from the times when Zo'or had ordered him to arrest the North American Companion on a charge of treason.

He felt uneasiness well up inside him as he realized that the diplomat was still awaiting his answer. 'Although my choices are limited, it does not mean I won't consider all possible alternatives,' he said cryptically.

'You have betrayed my species on behalf of our greatest enemy,' Da'an said sharply.

'If you take Zo'or out of the equation, it was nothing personal,' the man started slowly walking around the Taelon Ambassador. 'Pure calculation. I calculated the odds, and chose the option which ensured my survival. Paradoxically, you were the one who taught me this.'

'I would never choose my personal well-being over that of my species,' the diplomat said indignantly.

'True. But you did choose the well-being of your species over the survival of humanity.'

Da'an placed his hands on the armrests. 'It does not mean I have found the choice easy.'

'I suspected that much,' Sandoval paused before a smirk curved his lips. 'For some reason you have always felt responsible for the fate of mankind.'

'Unlike certain other members of your species,' the Taelon remarked with evident sarcasm.

'That's where you're wrong,' a dark shadow swept across the man's visage. 'For the past year serving Zo'or was like playing a Russian roulette.'

The Taelon bowed his head to the side in confusion.

'A game of life and death,' the man explained. 'Every day I wondered whether he was going to have me killed if I failed any of my assignments. I remained by his side only because I knew what he was capable of; to have at least some vague control over his actions. Which was also one of the reasons why you chose to remain as close to him as possible.'

The diplomat's eyes drifted shut. Sandoval watched him intently with an emotion that strangely resembled concern. After all that had happened between them, he perceived the feeling as irrational and embarrassing and was glad the Taelon could not see the awkward expression on his face.

'I do care for my species,' he continued, 'and I know that the moment I hand you over to Vorjak, there will be no more aces up my sleeve.'

The alien's azure eyes sprang open, driven by his innate inquisitiveness. 'Are you referring to a game of cards?'

For the first time since many days, the man could not help a smile at the Taelon's unending struggle with human idioms. 'No, Da'an. I am referring to the fact that you're the last person who can possibly threaten him if he changes his mind and chooses to destroy the Earth nevertheless. After thousands of years of unceasing warfare, you must know his weakest points.'

Da'an looked to the side. 'Your willingness to change course… is quite surprising,' he said softly, concluding that the Agent's monologue was providing him with an increasing number of questions instead of answers – and unexpectedly seemed to have that effect both ways.

'Trust me, I am no less surprised than you are.'

'Have you perchance realized,' Da'an waved his hand, and Sandoval did not fail to notice the way it trembled slightly, 'that the one who offers you the greatest power is simultaneously the one who is most capable of destroying you?'

The irony in the Taelon's words clearly reached its target. 'Seeing this planet turned into a pile of rubble has never been my aim,' the man said, scrutinizing the diplomat's face. 'You know me better than any human ever has. You should know that.'

Da'an stiffened as the man took the liberty of approaching him and extended his hand. Although the Taelon's blue eyes widened in discernible distress, against his greatest fears, the vial resting on the Implant's palm did not contain purple crystals of kryss. Its contents emanated a familiar, cerulean light.

'This is Taelon core energy,' he said tightly. 'How did it come into your possession?'

'My question first,' Sandoval's fingers curled around the vial. 'How is it possible you have used a month's worth of energy in a few days?'

'Of what use may such information be to you?' the Taelon unexpectedly asked.

'You came here alone and barely alive, most likely without your Protector's knowledge. If you're up to something, I need to know what it is.'

Da'an said nothing. His determination to leave the question unanswered perfectly mirrored his distrust and resentment towards the man who for the past few months had been using his addiction to fulfil his own, dark ambitions.

'I need to know…' Sandoval bit his lip. 'I need to know if we stand any chance of defeating the Jaridians.'

The Taelon gazed at him for a while, considering the question.

'There may be a way,' he said eventually, but a shadow creeping across his bright blue eyes clearly suggested that what he was going to propose was most likely a nearly impossible challenge.

* * *

Having spent half of the night discussing details of his plan with Hubble Urick, Liam could honestly say he was exhausted. It was only once the first pinkish glow of dawn had crept into the FBI Director's apartment that he realized how much time had passed; and still not all loose ends were tied up. Hubble did not look any more convinced than at the beginning of their conversation, but at least there was that hint of a chance that he would choose to cooperate. If that was the case, he was likely to convince other important figures in the ANA to follow their plan and the chances of success would grow substantially.

With these thoughts in mind, Liam wearily entered the elevator. The door opened with a quiet whir as the lift reached the basement level. In the apartment the lights were dimmed, which was not untypical at this hour. Renee and Street were probably using that rare luxury of a few hours of undisturbed sleep, which in the past years few Resistance members could enjoy. He sighed. The next two days were probably going to be a nightmarish marathon of growing tension and sleepless nights. Still, it was safer to leave his place of sanctuary after midnight when the chances of being recognized were smaller.

He stopped, noticing a streak of light coming from the living room.

A small smile brightened his face as he reminded himself that Taelons did not sleep. 'Who's the early bird this time?' he called from the corridor.

'Now you're going to reap what you sowed,' Street's voice carried a tone of annoyance.

'Since when are you a keen supporter of the Taelons?'

Liam peeked into the room. Renee was standing in the door frame, dressed in her formal set of clothes and visibly ready to leave. She turned towards him before an expression of discomfort washed across her pretty face.

'Care to tell me what's going on here?' his smile vanished.

Street stood up. 'No bloodshed. The carpet's new,' she cautioned as she slid past the young man and disappeared in the corridor. 'And for the record – I did try to stop him.'

Liam froze, and his voice instantly gained a dark undertone. 'Stop him?'

Renee lowered her gaze, feeling somewhat intimidated by his green eyes staring intently at her. Something savage gleamed in their depths. It seemed to her that on some subconscious level Liam knew what had happened during his absence, but was determined to hear her deny the unspoken accusation.

'Da'an has made the right decision,' she muttered, 'and we both know I'm right.'

The man grimaced and bent down as if some invisible force had punched him hard in the stomach. Oddly, it felt that way, too. His face displayed a disturbing palette of colours before he took a deep breath.

'Where is he?' he growled.

'This won't change anything, Liam, it's high time you –'

'Where?!' he rumbled.

Startled by his fury, Renee discreetly assessed his taut features, wondering how far this anger could lead him when interwoven with a determination she knew only few people possessed.

His lips tightened. 'Where did he go?'

'How should I know?' she shrugged. 'If he went to the Embassy, he's already dead. If he didn't, he will be soon.'

The man's jaw clenched, and pale glow brightened the centre of his palms. Despite all the efforts to keep his cool, he looked like he was going to explode any minute. 'What did you tell him?'

Renee's eyes narrowed. 'It was his decision. You can't stop him from choosing his own path, he's not your puppet.'

'What did you tell him?!'

She cringed inwardly at his reaction, but her mind, numbed by distress, couldn't produce a coherent response for several seconds. She turned away from him, at least temporarily freeing herself from his glare. 'The truth,' she said. 'And the truth is, he's ruining your life.'

Liam unexpectedly gripped her arms and forcefully turned her around towards him, making her gasp. 'You had no right!'

'Truth isn't always easy,' a look of hurt crossed her features, 'but you have to face up to who you really are.'

He answered her with a mocking smirk. 'And _who_ is that?'

'You're one of us,' she rested her hand on his shoulder, hoping that reminding him of his obligations would make him see the undeniable logic behind her actions. 'You're the leader of the Resistance.'

He said nothing. The shadow which continued to lurk in his eyes made her realize she couldn't get through to him. It felt almost as if she had inadvertently unearthed something that should have stayed buried deep within.

'Liam, please, I –' her lips parted, but seeing the cold hatred reflected in his eyes, she resigned herself to silence. She had never seen him like this. Not even when he had learnt of Da'an's betrayal…

'You know what?' his grip on her arms tightened. ' _You_ are ruining my life. Never before have I regretted who I am, but I do now.' Slowly, he bent towards her and hissed into her ear: 'If you don't intend to help, I hope you're smart enough to at least keep out of my way, because the next time I see you I won't be answerable for my actions.'

Without a word more, he turned away from her and left the room.


	13. Chapter 13

When in the misty beams of daybreak the earthly sky gained a pinkish orange tinge of dawn, Da'an found it hard not to dwell upon the equally beautiful sunrise, which used to unfold in the skies of his homeworld. From the audience chamber of the Taelon Embassy the view of the human world awakening to life was even more astounding than from most human dwellings once he had commanded the virtual glass to dissolve, letting in the cool morning breeze.

 _Waaa…_

Da'an smiled at this mild inquiry from his unborn child. Guiding its thoughts, he allowed it to experience the memory of his homeworld. Clearly intrigued by the landscape, it voiced its curiosity with a high-pitched squeak, and the diplomat answered it with thoughts of reassurance and affection. He recalled he had heard human infants make similar sounds during one of his official visits in Taelon-human medical centres.

 _Shäää waaa…_

The little one continued to express its monosyllabic thoughts, which appeared to carry emotions rather than meaning, but upon discovering that its parent had erected strong mental walls around other aspects of his memories it uttered a long _naaa_ of disapproval.

Their telepathic link was blocked almost completely when dark thoughts began to sprout in the diplomat's mind. Da'an closed his eyes, resting his hand on his abdomen to comfort the child. It would take a long time until they both were ready to discuss the truth; and the truth was that the Jaridians had wiped Taelon settlements off the surface of the planet, contaminating the atmosphere and destroying almost all wildlife in the process. Even though hundreds of years had passed, disbelief and terror which accompanied the evacuation was still perceptible in his memories, and cast a dark shadow upon his bright blue eyes.

Now that Da'an's thoughts meandered without the control imposed by his brethren, he understood that the Commonality had enabled him to withstand unspeakable pain and direct the destruction it wrought against the enemies of his race. For years his efficiency in implementing the Synod's agenda had earned him respect among the members of his kind and pure hatred in the hearts of his adversaries. Hundreds of years had passed before he had come to realize that in war, whichever side might call itself the victor, there were no winners. Still, helpless against the machine which had been set into motion long before his time, he had resigned himself to being a silent witness of history.

He had always known that at some point hatred would engulf both sides of the conflict, eventually pulling them into a bottomless chasm of oblivion, but had not anticipated how many other civilizations would be forced to take sides and bear the consequences of a foreign war.

Hope that the looming death would offer the two adversaries a chance to reconsider their priorities had turned out to be futile, but other species involved in the conflict might survive. Having found that human heart bore courage and determination which could easily challenge that of a Jaridian warrior, he had clung to the assumption that Vorjak would look at mankind and see his own reflection as if the world were a mirror. Now it was clear he was too blinded by desire for revenge to see the truth which the Universe had placed right before his eyes. The victory was his to claim and he would rip it from the hands of destiny even if it was to cost him the survival of his race.

Feeling a shift in his offspring's energy level, the diplomat winced. Slowly, he concentrated on guiding his own energy into its tiny form. The experience was mildly unpleasant, but he had discovered that a conscious control of the energy flow to regularly provide his child with nourishment guaranteed it would not draw it from his pathways in such a sudden, impulsive manner, which had left him on the brink of collapsing on several occasions. For a moment he lost his human façade and his energy pattern perfectly mirrored the intense colours of dawn, outlined with a tinge of purple.

'Are you sure you're alright?' Sandoval broke the silence in his usual, official manner before the calm in his voice gave way to a strange, emotional disquiet.

'As well as can be expected,' was the short reply.

The man did not appear convinced. 'This is all I managed to collect,' he said, demonstrating three vials of Taelon core energy in his palm. 'Is this enough?'

Da'an looked doubtful. The Implant concluded that he, too, did not know the answer. 'If you're ill, I can find a human doctor familiar with Taelon physiology,' he suggested.

'You have already recommended the solution,' the diplomat's soft voice carried a hint of impatience, 'and my answer remains unchanged.'

'Yes, but I thought that perhaps…'

'I require no medical assistance at this time. Your concern is, however, appreciated.' A bright flash of cerulean energy swept across the Taelon's eyes as he glanced at his former Protector.

Ronald Sandoval shifted his weight and let out a barely audible sigh. Slowly, he walked up to the virtual glass. 'Am I right to assume Major Kincaid will be looking for you?'

'Since he is determined to act as my Protector, I fear he may choose to put his own well-being at risk to ensure my safety,' the diplomat said. 'I do not wish to endanger more lives than is absolutely necessary.'

'I'll make sure he doesn't interfere,' the man offered, but the smirk twisting his lips faded instantly when he met Da'an's cold, reprimanding gaze. He cleared his throat. 'Without the usual procedure, then. Noted.'

'Major Kincaid is a good man and a honourable soldier who has proved his value both to his species and to mine,' the Taelon emphasized. 'Treat him with respect he deserves, and he shall treat you likewise.'

The Implant's eyes narrowed. Was Da'an actually asking him to babysit Kincaid while he was gone? The Companion seemed to notice his reluctance, but his determination to ensure that the order would be followed did not waver.

'I will do what I can,' Sandoval said resignedly, realizing that a negative answer was not an option. The silence that followed was soon broken by the loud beep of his global. He stiffened; the very possibility that Vorjak had also detected the Taelon's presence was enough to cast a dark shadow on his thoughts.

'The shuttle is ready, sir,' a tall, auburn-haired man in his thirties appeared on the screen. 'Do you require a pilot?'

The Implant relaxed seeing his associate. He was about to direct the same question to Da'an, but the Taelon had clearly heard it the first time.

'I am perfectly capable of piloting the shuttle myself,' he said.

Somewhat doubtful, Sandoval ended the transmission. The Taelon gracefully stood up from his throne-like chair. As he turned his gaze towards the man whom he had once taught to sacrifice all that was necessary to achieve one's goals, he came to realize his student had clearly outstripped the master. Although unexpectedly that day Ronald Sandoval's fatigued, dark eyes reflected the bright colours of sunrise with a spark of hope, which Da'an had thought to be long gone.

'I am grateful for your assistance,' he waved his hand in a usual, Taelon manner as he approached his former Protector. 'I hope we shall meet again in an equally bright, hopeful world.'

'Are you sure there is no other way?' a shadow of discomfort fell across the man's features. 'Vorjak assured me Jaridians keep their treaties.'

A faint, ironical smile curved the Taelon's lips. 'Would we be here today if you were certain of it?'

'Point taken,' Sandoval realized he was nervously sliding the vials between his fingers. 'The shuttle should be here in less than two minutes. If I can be of service, I am ready to accompany you.'

The Companion looked mildly surprised by the offer. 'I am grateful,' he said after a moment of consideration. 'However, your presence is required here on Earth.'

The Agent cast a discreet glance at his alabaster features. 'My associates can easily handle Kincaid, Da'an.'

'Yet should my endeavours prove insufficient, they do not possess adequate level of authority to launch missiles from the offensive systems of the Embassy.'

Sandoval frowned. 'Directed at the Jaridian warship, I presume.'

'Such an action would draw here the entire Jaridian fleet within a matter of days,' Da'an said tightly. 'You shall aim the missiles at the Taelon Mothership.'

The Implant blinked. It occurred to him Da'an was determined to see humanity prove their loyalty to the Jaridian race if his plan failed. After all, as long as they considered mankind to be their allies, Earth stood a chance to emerge from this conflict unscathed. With a heavy heart, he nodded, watching the sun reflect its golden rays in Da'an's mesmerizing, alien eyes; and he recalled it was that tiny bit of magic which had lured him into this startling, perilous world in the first place.

* * *

A tall man in a dark blouse was hurrying down the street with his head hung low. Although Liam was painfully aware how dangerous it was to leave his hideout when the sun had already risen, he had no other choice when each passing minute could push Da'an straight into Vorjak's hands. Chances were that the Companion had already been arrested and delivered to the Jaridian High Command, but the media he had been carefully following mentioned no such news and this impressive success of human-Jaridian cooperation was unlikely to be passed over in silence. Thus, he chose to cling to this last spark of hope as long as reality did not tear it away from his grasp.

With the hood of his blouse draped low over his head, he relaxed somewhat as he merged with a group of commuters hurrying for the subway station. Being a part of a crowd provided him with a sense of anonymity. He retrieved his global and darted a quick glance at the new interface which Street had uploaded into the device after she had hacked into Jaridian monitoring systems. The main task of the new software was to notify him as soon as enemy scanners detected any sign of Taelon presence on Earth. A small sigh of relief left his lips when he saw there were no active alerts. If Da'an had chosen to find shelter in one of the Taelon-bioengineered, half-organic buildings, his energy signature could blend with the energy pattern of the construction, thus hiding him away from Jaridian surveillance technology.

Liam bit his lip. If he knew this, Sandoval did too.

 _Being a bloody perfectionist, he is probably checking the Embassy on a regular basis_ , Liam thought grimly. He prayed Da'an had chosen some other facility, but the truth was the Embassy was the only Taelon building in this part of the district. It was unlikely the diplomat would consciously run the risk of being recognized by choosing a more distant destination, which would force him to continue his journey in the light of day.

Anger at Renee for her continuous attempts to gain control over his life and the fear that her recent actions might result in Da'an's death at the hands of the Jaridians consumed nearly all of Liam's attention when he entered a narrow alley separating tall residential buildings. Having been Da'an's Protector for several years now, he had long learned the route by heart, but never really enjoyed this claustrophobic neighbourhood.

He jerked when a massive hand gripped his arm from behind, roughly halting him to a stop.

'Where do you think you're heading?' a low masculine voice sounded right behind him.

Liam grimaced as he slowly turned around to meet his former subordinate from the Resistance U.S. cell. A tall, broad-shouldered man in a leather jacket smirked at him with unconcealed contempt, leaving no doubt as to the future outcome of this accidental meeting.

The young hybrid sighed. 'Listen, Mike, I'm not looking for trouble.'

'You're sure asking for it,' the man's grip on his arm tightened.

Liam frowned. Although his former subordinate's physical attributes would make him a tough opponent, he remained unimpressed by his overconfident stance. He had never been afraid to fight, even less fight a human, but the truth was he did not really have time for this when Da'an was in danger. 'If you want to settle old scores, that's fine,' he said. 'But I'm in a hurry right now.'

The man chuckled. 'I'll have to leave a message with your secretary then.'

A peal of laughter which echoed at the back of the alley suddenly made Liam realize they were not alone. He did not look back, but his perfect hearing allowed him to assess there were at least three other men behind his back.

'We were certain you had long fled the country,' one of them remarked. 'It must be our lucky day.'

'Okay,' Liam gulped. 'Are you absolutely sure you want to settle the matter this way?'

A soft snicker was the only answer he received. He sighed, determined not to make the first move just in case Mike Evans and his company decided to come to their senses. Sadly, no such thing happened. He dodged just in time to avoid Mike's famous left hook, but instead earned a blistering kick in the ribs from one of his companions. Although the blow had sent him staggering, he slammed his fist against the man's gut before another attacker could reach him.

'Stop this before something beyond repair should happen!' Liam gasped, but as a pair of muscular hands grabbed him by the neck, in a swift movement he swivelled and punched his opponent in the face. The man back-stepped, then collapsed to the ground.

The young hybrid winced. His shaquarava flared into a painful, burning sensation. Determined not to use the power which not only remained beyond his control, but threatened to compromise his greatest secret as well, he clenched his fists even tighter. A single blast was enough to kill a human, and it was the one thing he was desperate to avoid.

The distraction, however, was going to cost him dearly. Without even knowing what had happened, he heard himself groan in pain when his body was slammed against the outside wall of the neighbouring building. Unable to keep his balance, he sank to his knees. For a brief moment everything went black and the ringing sound in his ears quickly communicated to him he must have hit that wall pretty hard. He touched the side of his head where a thin streak of warm liquid was trickling down behind his earlobe.

'Damn it,' he muttered, seeing that his fingers were smeared with blood.

Clearly undisturbed by the pitiful condition of his two companions, who were still unsuccessfully trying to rise from the pavement, Mike slowly approached him with a victorious gleam in his hazel eyes.

'I would have killed you,' he hissed as he grabbed a handful of Liam's hair to force his head up, 'but since they're paying well for scums these days, I guess I'll take the money.'

'It looks like I'm underpaid, then,' remarked a cold, masculine voice.

Mike froze, but no sooner had he managed to turn around than a syringe needle was sunk into his neck. Two strong hands restrained his movements just in case he attempted to fight back, which obviously was not going to be the case. With eyes wide open, Liam watched his former subordinate slide to the ground like a puppet suddenly deprived of its strings.

Ronald Sandoval did not even bother to take the syringe out as he raised an eyebrow at Liam's bewildered face.

'You're a mess, Kincaid,' he commented with disdain. 'Is that the usual way you do business?'

Instead of answering, all the young hybrid could do was stare at him in utter disbelief before a small smile of gratitude brightened his face. Sandoval's gloved hand roughly put the hood back on the man's head. 'If you continue to play a rock star, I highly doubt you're going to keep a low profile.'

A spark of hope gleamed in Liam's tired eyes. 'Does that mean… you have finally decided to –'

Before he managed to finish his thought, however, a light sting at the side of his neck, almost like an insect bite, instantly rendered him speechless. A strange burning sensation began to spread through his chest, leaving his limbs numb. His vision blurred.

The FBI agent unceremoniously grabbed him by the hood to prevent his boyish face from colliding with the pavement.

'How such an incompetent fool like you managed to keep Da'an alive for all those years, remains a mystery,' he mumbled to himself.


	14. Chapter 14

Da'an gazed at the stars with a heavy heart. The vastness of space painfully reminded him how little a single being meant when set against the power of the Universe. The Commonality had always provided him with a sense of belonging and safety, and even when his homeworld had been destroyed, he had found shelter and peace on a spiritual level. Now that fate had stripped him of this last perceptible connection to his own species and the wreckage of the Mothership loomed out of the dark, he felt something deep in him tremble… and break into pieces. Among scraps of bioslurry, which in a state of weightlessness seemed to be tumbling over in slow motion, its hull flickered with the unsteady pattern of defensive shields. Fractured in several places and marred with dark smudges, which clearly testified to the damage it had taken, the once proud vessel was a sad reflection of its past glory. A remnant of a great civilization which had been violently pulled into darkness by its twin species…

A deep blush swept over the Taelon's form. Unwanted emotions he had been keeping confined for hundreds of years all of a sudden threatened to escape their invisible prison, unearthing painful memories which he knew were better left unremembered. Whatever had fallen apart deep within him, he knew he would never be whole again. If he were a human, he might say it was his heart, but as a Taelon he neither had a heart nor felt most of the emotions humans experienced; not because he was incapable of feeling, but because he had been taught to keep them restrained. He was expected not to fear death; neither dread his own passing nor grieve for others who had already passed into the next level.

However, now when the voices of the Commonality no longer restricted him, he felt despair unfurl in him against all the guidance his brethren had provided him with. The forbidden sensation was somehow familiar; he remembered it from those distant days when he had helplessly observed the destruction of his home planet aboard one of the evacuation vessels; when his second child had been placed in a stasis pod without being given the chance to experience the beauty of the world outside; when each time he had entered ka'atham, the Synod would assign him a new mate to conceive a child whose chances of survival were too small to even hope that it might ever live without being connected to a life support system. But somehow the world had moved on, no matter the cost, no matter the pain, and he had been obediently carrying out his duties as a member of the Taelon Synod.

Only that each of these moments seemed to have taken away a small part of him; and with each tragedy life sent his way, this emptiness expanded. Perhaps a day would come when after devouring all that comprised him, it would consume his sanity as well…

Perhaps his identity was already gone. Without the Commonality he felt strangely… hollow. All that remained was despair, and the urge to share the fate of his brethren; to finally rest his troubled mind in the kind embrace of oblivion. A long life was but a burden of past mistakes he could neither atone for, nor hope for forgiveness. With a small sigh, he rested his hand on his abdomen before sending thin streaks of energy into his offspring's tiny form. The new life within him was the only reason which had kept him on this plane of existence. And still… resisting the temptation to follow his race into the Void grew more difficult now that the tragedy which had befallen his species was even more tangible.

How did humans deal with the pain of loss? How could anyone face such pain alone? In vain did he try to withhold the memory of his other children carefully nestled in stasis pods as they were slaughtered by the Jaridians… and Zo'or's fear and agony as he was violently pulled into the Void by Vorjak's hatred. At this point he doubted he would ever be able to close his eyes without reliving these moments, tormented by pangs of guilt – yes, he felt guilty of being alive when all that he had ever held dear had sunk into bottomless dark. The very thought that he had no choice but to experience this mental pain once and again in a never-ending loop, frightened him.

Striving to protect his unborn child from the cruel reality, Da'an carefully shielded his memories from his offspring's awareness, ensuring that the view of the Mothership would offer no more than a feeling of mild curiosity. A strained smile brightened his face as the child reacted with confusion at its parent's melancholic mood. It did not understand what those pieces of bioslurry tumbling over in outer space truly meant; to the infant's perception these were merely building blocks which someone had carelessly scattered. But the diplomat knew there was enough pain in the Universe to abundantly burden every single being which inhabited it; so as long as he was capable of protecting his child from experiencing it, he would. Even if it meant hiding the truth in the deepest recesses of his mind.

Which was exactly what he needed to do if his mission was to stand any chance of success. Humanity did not deserve the fate which Vorjak had most likely prepared for it, and he was ready to use all means available to his disposal to prevent it. For years Liam had been protecting him, risking his own life and thus losing whatever respect he had earned among members of his own kind; ruining his life for a Taelon who – he certainly knew this – would never openly stand against his brethren. When fate had eventually enabled the diplomat to repay the debt, the only reason why he had not returned to his cell on the Jaridian battleship after Vorjak had given mankind the ultimatum, was the child he was carrying. He little feared for his own life, but the knowledge that the Jaridian Leader would either instantly kill the infant or wait until it was born only to use its powers against mankind, rendered the option the worst possible solution. Forced to choose the lesser of two evils, Da'an decided on a perilous alternative, which – though guaranteeing a successful outcome for Earth – did not seem to portray a hopeful future either for him or for his unborn child.

The Taelon lowered his eyes. Liam was unlikely to appreciate his actions at the moment, but one day he would see there was no other way. No other way, but this.

Having approached the Mothership, the diplomat waved his hand to initiate the landing procedure before with a faint whoosh his shuttle entered the landing bay. The low humming of the central computer could no longer drown out the clatter of damaged engines – groans exhaled in shudders as if the ship was threatening to disintegrate. The pale light of the emergency power system was barely enough to keep darkness away, but Da'an had long grown used to the disquieting presence of shadows. After all, it would all be over soon.

* * *

Liam was stunned when he woke up in an all-too-familiar place; the purple bioslurry was barely illuminated by dim light, which flickered unsteadily at him. The obviously Taelon design, unsteady glow of the damaged lighting system, as well as plain walls devoid of virtual glass clearly testified that he had been dragged to the lower levels of the Taelon Embassy below the Volunteer quarters. Having taken a lungful of air, he winced all of a sudden. His lungs burned, no less than the middle part of his palms. His head thrummed with pain, matching the beat of his heart, but the memory of the recent events was all too clear. If it had been foolish of him to engage in a fight with Mike and his accomplices, the fact that he had let his vigilance falter in the presence of an unpredictable man who would betray anyone if the necessity arose – was the epitome of foolishness.

Being a shameful result of his naïve faith in the good nature of every living being and a talent for getting himself into the worst kind of trouble, the fact that he had been tied to a chair did not come as a surprise. What else could be expected of Ronald Sandoval, he thought grimly as he chided himself for that one moment when a spark of hope that his father had eventually found some decency deep within had blinded his judgement. His frustration culminated in a long sigh. The prevalent human part of his personality had made him vulnerable to emotions, which he would never even consider if he had been a trueborn Kimera. Sandoval had probably never been anywhere near acting with honour, or at least Liam did not remember him to demonstrate any level of care for other human beings. Taelons – perhaps, but that was still before his motivational imperative had broken down. It was clear he would change sides whenever it was likely to bring him a potential benefit.

This, however, was obviously not the case that day. Whatever Vorjak had promised him, it was enough to retain the Implant's newfound loyalty, at least for the time being.

Liam's expression darkened. Had Da'an's former Protector already sold the Taelon out to the Jaridians? The question sank deep into his darkest thoughts. He had failed as the leader of the Resistance, and if he was to fail as Da'an's Protector as well, he would probably never forgive himself for letting the Companion die at the hands of the enemies he was supposed to defend him against. He closed his eyes, realizing how poor the excuse was. No, he feared neither confronting the failure itself nor having to include it in his professional résumé. The truth was he dreaded losing the only being who could understand that hidden, alien part of him, which no human could ever comprehend; the only being who could offer him that unearthly spark of light in the darkest of times; the only being who had never judged him despite the differences between them and – ultimately – the being who had kept his greatest secret until the end even when it meant openly lying to his own species.

The fear of losing Da'an had become the greatest bane of his life, especially when the diplomat hardly ever paid any attention to his own safety. Was it his Taelon pride which had eventually driven him to leave his only place of sanctuary after being forced to face Renee's accusations? Liam bit his lip, in vain struggling against his restraints; for all the good it did, he might as well have stayed still. The rope tied his wrists fast enough.

'Save your strength for the hours to come, Major.'

The young hybrid stiffened at the familiar, cold voice which drifted unexpectedly from somewhere behind him. In a split second his jaw locked tight in helpless fury. With a threatening look in his narrowed, emerald eyes, he followed Ronald Sandoval's dark silhouette as the Implant carefully took a seat at the desk before him. His face, half-shadowed by the dim glow of the lighting system, was devoid of the slightest emotion, exactly the way Liam remembered it be almost on every occasion.

'What did you do to Da'an?' he gritted through his teeth.

The FBI agent appeared entirely unimpressed by the young man's hostile glare. 'Nothing he had not wished for,' he said simply as he loosened his tie with a sense of fatigue.

'You sold him out to the Jaridians, didn't you?'

Sandoval smirked. 'To the contrary,' his cold voice gained a disturbing, dark undertone as he leaned closer. 'I must admit that you have turned out to be quite a nuisance, Major, and although watching Vorjak rip you to shreds would offer me long-term peace from your annoying presence, right now my orders do not coincide with my personal taste.'

The young man's expression clearly betrayed his bewilderment. 'Whose orders?'

'Da'an's, obviously,' the Implant answered with the smirk unfading from his lips.

'If you're serving Da'an, why the hell am I tied up?' Liam manifestly struggled against his restraints as if to demonstrate his point, clearly to the Agent's amusement.

'He feared you would disapprove of his actions and act against your orders, which – considering your unprofessional conduct in the past – was not a groundless assumption.'

A dark shadow fell across the hybrid's features. Da'an would not betray humanity on behalf of the Jaridians, so the only reasonable explanation was that the plan he had devised to deal with the situation involved putting his own life in peril.

'He's not going to surrender himself to the Jaridian High Command, is he?' he demanded as the thought began to gnaw at whatever was left of his peace of mind.

Sandoval raised an eyebrow. 'No. Unlike you, he still relies on common sense.'

Although in different circumstances the remark would get on his nerves, Liam felt relief sweep over him instead. In the last few days the diplomat had been the witness of the final annihilation of his species, and the very hint of a possibility that he might actually wish to bring his life to an end at the hands of his greatest foe did not sound as ridiculous as it should.

'If you're trying to tell me that relying on you has anything to do with common sense, you had better skip it,' Liam huffed disdainfully, but as he was about to turn his head away, a strong hand gripped him by the neck and forced his head in the Agent's direction.

An evil grin revealed the full display of Sandoval's perfectly white teeth. 'Don't you dare to judge me. You're a pest, Kincaid, not even worth my time.' As if to prove his words true, he carefully retrieved a metallic object from his pocket. The young hybrid did not seem astonished to see it was his energy gun, which the other man must have seized while he was unconscious. 'You were armed when I found you beaten to a pulp,' the Implant's condescending look said it all long before he verbalized his statement. 'Did you get your weapon training in a barn?'

Liam was silent for his own sake. Truth was, he had been determined not to hurt the people he had once been responsible for, but obviously Sandoval had no way of knowing – and, thank God, he would never know. Perhaps it was better he was being taken for an incompetent fool; after all, it would be easier to escape while being underestimated.

Undeterred by what he took for arrogant silence, the Agent shrugged. 'Considering all the military decorations you were awarded in the past, one might think some imposter has stolen your identity,' he ironized.

The hybrid shot him a glare, although the smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth was hard to suppress. Determined to conceal the small nugget of satisfaction which Sandoval's ignorance brought him, he broadened his shoulders, pretending to be deeply stung. 'I was risking my life defending the Embassy while you were busy betraying us all on behalf of the Jaridians.'

Sandoval seemed unfazed by the remark. 'I did what was necessary.'

'Yeah, just keep telling yourself that,' Liam countered. 'Where is Da'an?'

His captor's dark eyes narrowed to slits.

'Since I'm stuck here anyway, we might as well talk,' the young man pressed.

The Implant hesitated. 'He's on the Mothership.'

Liam's jaw dropped. During the Jaridian invasion the Taelon spaceship had been seriously damaged, and it was very unlikely that the life-support system was functioning when the hull had been severely breached. Sandoval effortlessly noticed the incredulity etched in the younger man's features.

'I did warn him,' he said. 'He believes, however, that as soon as the Mothership senses Taelon energy signature, the system will initialize basic repairs. Once they are completed, he should be able to manually manage further commands.'

The hybrid frowned. 'Bioregeneration takes time, and no living being can survive such conditions without a space suit…'

'I'm not stupid, Major,' the Agent raised his voice above the usual tone, 'but Da'an was adamant. In order to begin the regeneration phase, the ship requires direct contact with his energy signature.'

Liam cursed under his breath, feeling the familiar tingling sensation awake in his palms. 'In such an unstable environment he might as well end up dead before the regeneration phase even begins,' he said, in vain trying to hide the nervousness in his voice. 'Why did he take the risk?!'

Sandoval said nothing. His dark eyes gleamed as he watched his hostage's determination culminate in a furious struggle to free himself from the restraints.

'We need to get him out of there before it's too late,' the Kimera urged. 'The engines are damaged, he won't flee from the Jaridians in this wreck.'

The Implant blinked. 'Fleeing is not a part of the plan.'

Liam stilled. The missing parts of the story suddenly unfurled before him, filling in the blanks. Of course, his biological father would never betray the Jaridians merely to help Da'an escape; not only would he receive nothing in return, but he risked the enmity of the Jaridian Leader as well. While understanding began to dawn on him, the tickling sensation in his palms evolved into a full-blown blaze.

'As a member of the Taelon Synod, Da'an has the authority to activate the powerful offensive weapons which Zo'or did not employ during the initial battle,' Sandoval continued as his cold eyes gleamed in the dark. 'At that time the additional energy required for their activation was being used to power the stasis chamber. Since now this is no longer the case…' the man made an expressive gesture with his hand, which completed his statement better than words would.

But the young hybrid did not seem to be listening to him anymore. Dark thoughts racing through his mind made him feel as if someone had tightened a rubber band around his chest, squeezing the air out of his lungs. 'Oh God…' increasing desperation made his voice hoarse. 'He's going to lead the Mothership into battle with the Jaridian fleet.'


	15. Chapter 15

In the dim, bickering light, Da'an held his breath as the shuttle softly landed on the remains of what had once been the landing bay. Dark smudges on the bioslurry were most likely bearing testimony to the fierce combat which had taken place at the entrance after Vorjak had commanded his warriors to board the ship. Although the diplomat had not witnessed the battle directly as he had been coordinating the defence of the Taelon Embassy in Washington at the time, he had painfully experienced its implications through the Commonality. He had seen Companion Protectors and Volunteers fight for a foreign cause and die in a war which none of them had ever signed for; it was one of the reasons why – determined to prevent unnecessary bloodshed – he had ordered Liam to evacuate the Embassy. Fleeing would curse him with an eternal mark of disgrace, but the humans who had served him did not deserve to become the victims of Taelon pride and Jaridian hatred.

He should have died then; had he been killed, Earth's future might not appear so bleak now. He would not be presently blaming himself for abandoning his brethren on their final path into the Void and Liam's reputation in the Resistance would not have been shattered… But somehow life had cursed him to watch everything he had ever cherished and cared for, fall apart and perish.

Determined not to let himself be distracted, he looked at the shuttle control screen to analyse the data gathered by the external sensors. The environmental conditions in the landing bay were hardly to be called acceptable, but without direct contact with his energy signature the Mothership would not implement the procedure of self-preservation. Upon its construction, the main imperative the central system had been instructed to follow was ensuring the well-being of his species; if incapable of fulfilling the objective, it would decompose and perish to prevent the Jaridians from intercepting the precious technology of interdimensional travel. He needed to convince the ship that it was still required to fulfil its basic imperative. As soon as it registered his presence, the Mothership would strive to protect him, and to do so it would conduct basic repairs.

With a heavy heart, he commanded the energy shield of his shuttle to dissolve.

As he took a cautious, shallow breath, the oxygen-depleted air he had inhaled dulled his senses, making him feel faint. He closed his eyes and clutched the armrests, trying to regain his composure. Fate had definitely chosen the most unfortunate time to bless him with child, he thought, sensing the infant's anxiety. But he would not turn back. Perfectly blue eyes sprang open as his determination took over. He disembarked from the shuttle and taking each step with extreme caution, slowly descended upon the ramp. As soon as he reached the hallway, his slender hand came to rest on the bioslurry, melting tiny, glimmering particles into its smooth texture.

The corridor brightened for a few seconds when the ship recognized his energy signature and responded with a faint whir. A small smile brightened the Taelon's features. The spacecraft was almost all that remained of his species… He was grateful for the company, even though the communication between him and the bioengineered life-form would for obvious reasons remain limited. With the palm of his hand pressed against the wall, he realized the ship was performing a scan of his energy pathways, most likely analysing his current condition. He felt its confusion when it detected the child within him – its energy pattern fitted that of a long-gone species reported as extinct in the Taelon archives. Clearly, the information would have to be amended.

His hand returned to his side as the corridor on the left brightened with an intense, golden glow. Da'an smiled at the reaction. He had developed a certain bond with the life-form which had been protecting his species for centuries now. Clearly the entity of the Mothership was indicating him the way to the medical wing, but he had no time for this now; his priority was to reach the command module.

'Secure the way to the Bridge,' he said softly in Eunoia. Having ignored the faint whir of the ship's disapproval, he stepped into the adjacent corridor before his silhouette disappeared in the shadows.

* * *

Liam writhed and twisted in the chair, hoping to either break the bonds or at the very least draw Sandoval's attention. Seeing that the Implant was plainly ignoring him and pretending to be focused on the information displayed on the screen of his global, the young hybrid let out a frustrated sigh. Ronald Sandoval was amenable neither to his arguments nor to reason; obviously any attempt to contact Da'an when the transmission could be intercepted by the Jaridians, thus betraying the Taelon's location, was out of the question, but he could not stay in the Embassy passively waiting for the battle to start either.

If only he could use his shaquarava, he would burn all his restraints to dust, but he had long dismissed the solution – unearthing his secret in front of his biological father would probably prove to be the greatest mistake in his short life; and it was likely to be his last mistake, too. Sandoval's skrill, as if sensing whom he really was, had been threateningly hissing at him from his first days in Companion service, and the memory of a skrill blast sending Ha'gel into the Void, which he had inherited along with his Kimera legacy, was a warning not to be ignored. Still, he could not ignore the burning sensation in his palms either.

For some reason the fear for Da'an's safety had unexpectedly become quite obsessive and was slowly turning into a full-blown panic. His human logic in some level restrained the urge to activate his shaquarava, reminding him that the Companion had found himself in multiple life-threatening situations throughout the past three years, and yet it had never driven him to compromise his identity. He began to wonder why those perilous circumstances had not provoked such an intense reaction from the Kimera part of his identity in the times which now seemed awfully distant, but – sadly – could not find the answer. Something deep within him was making him increasingly desperate to protect Da'an no matter the cost; a powerful, burning instinct which was melting away whatever was left of his common sense.

Gathering all his strength, Liam struggled against the restraints which bound his ankles, but instead of breaking free, he felt the chair sway – and sway even more before he fell back with a thud.

Sandoval jerked, but the moment his gaze settled on his hostage, who was unsuccessfully trying to push the chair back up, Liam could swear that the smirk on his face would have exploded into a peal of laughter if not for the control imposed by his CVI.

The sound of footsteps quickly approaching from the corridor revealed Tate's dark silhouette. Obviously alerted by the noise, he stormed into the chamber with his gun ready to fire before he froze and a wide grin bared his teeth.

'Funny as hell, Tate,' Liam muttered. 'Lift me up.'

'Should we…?' the man glanced at his employer, who only shook his head in wry amusement.

'No, Da'an actually did not mention if Major Kincaid was to keep us vertical or horizontal company.'

Tate chuckled and returned the gun to his pocket. Liam took a deep, calming breath that somehow did not ease the burning sensation in his palms. Unable to control the emotions roiling in him, he winced when his shaquarava flared into bright whorls of light. Instinctively, he curled his fingers into fists, silently hoping his captors had not noticed its golden glow.

'Lift me up,' he repeated gruffly.

Tate took a few steps forward. For a moment the hybrid thought he was going to help him reassume the original position, but instead the man retrieved a smartphone from the pocket of his suit. 'I swear, once this whole Jaridian mess is over, this tiny souvenir is going to get viral on social media,' he said, positioning the device closer to take a compromising photo of his hostage tied to a chair on the ground.

That was it. Liam's patience had long been gone, but his captor's nasty sense of humour simply added fuel to the fire. Literally. His shaquarava fired, burning the rope which tied his hands and legs to the chair, thus returning him freedom of movement. Before Sandoval's accomplice could react, the hybrid swept him off his feet and grabbed him by the neck. Sandoval instantly pulled himself upright from his chair, but as understanding dawned in his dark eyes, he stiffened in what looked like a haze of shock and disbelief.

'Skrill him!' Tate grunted, wrestling with the younger man on the floor.

But the Implant did not even raise his hand, staring at Da'an's Protector as if seeing him for the first time in his life.

* * *

The young hybrid's eyes were bulging with rage as he was wrestling with his opponent on the floor. The moment he had finally managed to free his arm from the other man's grasp, a crushing blow landed inches from Tate's head.

Sandoval's accomplice froze at the thud which crashed into his right ear, sending shivers down his spine. Clearly, the situation had got out of his control. He reached for his gun, but Liam Kincaid was faster. He grabbed his wrist the moment he took hold of the grip. Whatever happened later, all the agent remembered was a burning slap that hit him full across the face. For a moment he stopped fighting back; blinking his eyes, he stared up at the man who was keeping him pinned to the floor.

His headache must have been a starburst, the Kimera concluded with a smirk as he snatched the gun and aimed it against the other man's chest, panting from strain.

'Wanna try that viral pic now?' he gritted through his teeth.

Tate closed his eyes and winced, feeling the gun barrel painfully dig into his ribs. He seemed to be clinging to the thought that Major Kincaid was not the kind of man who would pull the trigger for a reason so paltry as revenge for being threatened with a humiliating snapshot. And truth was, Liam had initially not believed himself to be capable of this either. Only that now… he could feel a strange kind of darkness unfurl in him. The anger directed at his captors and the instinctive urge to protect Da'an had culminated in aggression which could hardly be restrained; the Kimera energy beneath his skin burned like fire, and he felt that even if he somehow managed to let go of the gun, his shaquarava would flare to accomplish what his human part had refused to do.

'Liam.'

The young man blinked. Obviously he knew whom the voice belonged to, but the fact that Sandoval called him by his name made it sound unexpectedly out of place, even when the Agent's voice was cold and over-controlled the way it had always been.

'That's enough.'

As if having snapped from a trance, Liam slowly rose to his feet and looked at the Implant. He wondered whether it was his authoritative tone or the fact that he was his biological father that eventually made him lower the gun.

'I need to get to Da'an,' he demanded, determined to discuss anything other than his exposed relation to the man before him. 'Is that so hard to understand?'

'Why the hell didn't you…' Tate turned to his boss before his accusing glare settled on the hybrid's glowing hands '…skrill it?'

Sandoval's eyes narrowed. 'I've got certain unfinished business with Major Kincaid,' he said cryptically before a self-satisfied smirk curved the corners of his mouth, 'and I couldn't deny myself the pleasure of watching you two trying to scratch each other's eyes out.'

'Are you out of your mind?!' Tate's face flushed with anger. 'This is no _Major Kincaid_. That _creature_ is a Jaridian warrior equipped with some holographic technology, and we're both going to end up fried –'

'He could have used his shaquarava long ago,' the Implant cut him off in mid-sentence, 'and I can guarantee you, he's not a Jaridian.'

The younger agent's suspicious eyes were riveted on the unhuman being who appeared increasingly tired of the pointless discussion. Although the glow in its palms had clearly diminished, it did not guarantee safety to either of them.

Feeling Sandoval's cold eyes upon him, Tate heaved a long sigh. 'You're sure about this?'

The Implant nodded in silence.

'I'll leave you alone with your _unfinished business_ then,' the younger man said sarcastically as he turned around, but it was only after he had left the chamber that Sandoval began to analyze the hybrid's appearance. Oddly there was much resemblance between his features and those of the real Major Kincaid, which made him wonder if Ha'gel's son could actually steal someone else's identity the way his Kimera ancestor had done on several occasions.

'You have been deceiving me for quite a while,' he said eventually.

'Not like you weren't asking for it,' Liam ironized.

Sandoval tilted his head slightly. 'From the very beginning I suspected you weren't the person you claimed to be, but truth is, it had never crossed my mind that you could be…' his voice trailed off.

'Your son?' Liam met him at eye-level.

The Implant sighed. 'Considering the fact how close you and Da'an once were, I'm surprised he didn't discover your true identity.'

The young hybrid's mildly malicious grin was an answer in itself.

'So he knows,' Sandoval ran a hand through his face, clearly shocked that the North American Companion had not sold the Kimera out to the Taelon Synod. However, now that truth had finally come out, Da'an's determination not to have his Protector implanted with a CVI made perfect sense – and all of this had been kept in utter secrecy… right under Zo'or's nose… for three years!

And right under his own nose, too, for that matter.

'Da'an has always been…' Liam searched for an appropriate word, 'more liberal than the rest of the Taelons. I took the risk to entrust him with my secret and never regretted. He might have failed my trust in other ways, but he never gave away my true identity.'

Sandoval smirked. Of course, no human could ever keep secrets as efficiently as Taelons did, he silently agreed before another thought entered his mind. 'You are technically three years old and probably never have been given a weapon training,' he remarked, suddenly realizing why Da'an wanted him to keep his Protector out of trouble.

'Just bear in mind that, contrary to your assumption, it doesn't mean I'm a walking disaster,' Liam grinned, seeing his father's confused expression.

'Really,' the Agent winced. The young hybrid's dishevelled hair, bruises, and one missing tooth clearly knocked out during the fight painfully testified to his failure in completing the assignment he had been given. Da'an would not be pleased.

Liam pointedly rolled his eyes before he turned around.

'Where are you going?'

'And where do you think a Protector should be going?'

Sandoval's dark eyes turned to slits. 'By protecting Earth Da'an is trying to atone for the fact that Zo'or forced mankind into the war with the Jaridians. You won't talk him out of it, which makes your journey to the Mothership utterly pointless.'

Liam paused. 'True,' he said at length. 'But there's something else both of us could do.'

Sandoval raised an eyebrow.

The Kimera turned towards him with a mischievous glint in his eyes. 'The question is – are you in or out?'


	16. Chapter 16

Vorjak's second-in-command marched onto the Bridge and saluted the Leader with the official greeting of the warrior caste. 'The report you have requested from the American government has just been delivered,' the tall Jaridian male in full armour announced with a deep, low voice typical of his species.

Vorjak silently eyed him. Karvir's choice of words was rather diplomatic; there was little that could indicate he had requested the data; no, he had downright demanded it after the human known as Liam Kincaid had violated the human-Jaridian treaty. The Leader of the High Command acknowledged the message with a nod. His fatigue was becoming increasingly noticeable, but no less was his determination to seal the Jaridian victory by ensuring the survival of his species. With a movement of his hand he commanded the computer to display the data which his second-in-command had handed to him in the form of a small metallic disc.

Karvir, who was still standing behind him, took a pre-emptive step back when he saw the Leader's fingers twitch and curl in evident anger. Through many decades he had spent directly serving Vorjak, he had learnt that patience was not one of his virtues, and although many Jaridian leaders in the past had been remembered as hot-tempered, he would no doubt go down in history by the name his personal squad had unofficially adopted: _Jka'rakh_. The Flame.

And indeed, when he finished reading, Vorjak's energy signature flared as if molten fire was flowing through his veins. Fury flashed in his eyes, brightening them into vivid emerald-green. Karvir cringed inwardly, although on the outside his head was held high and his shoulders broadened in a military way that was expected of all members of his caste.

'Pitiful, useless creatures! They are wasting the time they have been granted,' the Leader grimaced. 'This report proves they are thoroughly failing in their attempts to capture Liam Kincaid.'

Karvir frowned. 'Is he not the man who has once saved you and your human spouse?'

Vorjak dismissed the question with a grunt. Right now the fact that in the past the man had helped save his daughter and spouse meant very little – if anything at all – when he had kidnapped his Taelon captive, demonstrating insubordination to his own government and violating basic conditions of the agreement between the humans and the Jaridians in the process.

Having learnt that Da'an was – for reasons he did not yet fully grasp – the only Taelon whom mankind did not wish to see personally answering for the actions of the Synod, he had kept him alive as a valuable bargaining card to use when negotiating the details of his contracts with Earth leaders. A sly smirk curved the warrior's thin lips. Negotiations had never been a Jaridian thing and if not for the fact that his species was on the brink of extinction, he would have simply invaded the planet and claimed it as a colony of the Jaridian Empire. Of course, he needed the help of human engineers to meticulously investigate Taelon interdimensional drives, but it was not in the Jaridian nature to ask; had the circumstances been different, he would have simply taken all precious resources and information by force, as he had frequently done in the years gone by when dealing with civilisations contaminated by Taelon presence.

Now, however, what had once been a priority, paled into insignificance beside more urgent matters. Tarvak's discovery had turned out to be an unexpected twist of fate, which altered the plans of the High Command considerably. Having entered the Taelon reproductive cycle, Da'an became far more precious to the Jaridian race than the resources and the extensive knowledge of the interdimensional drives combined. Taelon genes were the last chance to preserve the Jaridian species, even if their salvation was to be achieved through a solution which in the past millennia had been many times rejected. Despite the boundless hatred for their twin-species, all Jaridians knew there was no other choice. He had to find the damn Taelon even if it meant turning the entire planet inside out and rummaging through its depths.

If his species could escape the threat of looming non-existence, the glory of the Jaridian Empire would thrive and future generations would see Earth becoming one of its multiple resource colonies.

'Prepare our warriors,' he turned to his second-in-command when he realized he had clearly forgotten to dismiss him. 'In ten hours we shall have this issue solved… our way.'

'Yes, Vorjak,' Karvir accepted the order with a nod, but before he managed to leave the Bridge, he was approached by one of the technicians.

Seeing his shocked expression with the corner of his eye, Vorjak let out a heavy sigh. 'What now?' he shifted in his chair. 'Are the systems failing again?'

'That is highly possible,' Karvir answered with evident dissatisfaction. 'The communication system has detected an incoming transmission… from the Mothership.'

'Are you as useless as the humans?!' Vorjak rumbled at the maintenance technician as he rose to his feet. He approached the communication console, unceremoniously shoving the frightened technician out of his way in the process.

Karvir did not dare to interfere, and silently watched his superior manually accept the transmission. The communication screen brightened… only to display the very image none of the crew members had been anticipating, the Jaridian Leader himself included.

'Sinuai Euhura, Vorjak.'

Although Da'an's pale visage and silky voice were unmistakeable, the Jaridian's face registered such wonder as if he had just been contacted by someone from beyond the grave. Perfectly green eyes rounded to orbs in apparent disbelief, but his jaw clenched as he stared at the calm, sea-blue eyes of the enemy he had clearly underestimated.

* * *

Da'an watched Vorjak's face twist in a grimace of frustration. It came as no surprise; through many centuries he had been leading the Taelon fleet into battle with the Jaridian Empire as the Synod Leader, he had learned that although many Jaridian warriors were likely to respect their adversaries, their Leader rarely did. Still, even though it was typical of all Taelons to restrain their emotions, Vorjak's fiery, bottomless hatred was not completely unknown to him. Driven by the pain of loss after the destruction of his homeworld, he had been equally determined to see the Jaridians bear painful consequences for their actions – and equally blinded by wrath in his quest for revenge.

Although time had never healed that wound, it did, however, change his perception.

As years had passed by, the elusive victory had begun to demonstrate a bitter taste of looming death. When the pointless conflict which both species had been escalating for countless millennia had long exceeded the boundaries of a reasonable endeavour, the Taelon understood that neither of them could ever name themselves victors. Despite the odds, he had hoped for a peaceful solution, and had been glad to one day learn that among the Jaridian race there were those who sought peace with equal determination. All their efforts, however, once and again proved futile when their Leader was squandering all chances of a peaceful coexistence. In the years gone by several proposals of signing a mutual non-aggression pact had been rejected, which in itself was a dreadful indication of Vorjak's unwavering resolve.

Analysing the harsh features of the Jaridian Leader, Da'an was far from assuming he would relent to logic; for the sake of Earth's future, however, he was adamant to explore the possibility, however small it was.

'I greet you in the name of the Taelon Synod,' he declared.

Once the words had jolted the Leader of the High Command from the state of shock, he let out a scornful sneer. 'That simply means that you speak in your own name, Taelon. The rest of the Synod has been eliminated to my command.'

A soft blush crossed Da'an's pale features. 'For as long as fate allows me to remain on this plane of existence, the decrees of the Synod shall remain in force,' he said softly, 'even when I am the last member of my species.'

'In that case… I humbly await the decision of the great Taelon Empire,' the Jaridian bowed mockingly, the sneer unfading from his lips. Several members of the Jaridian crew chuckled at this masterful parody.

Da'an looked by no means discouraged. He knew from experience that if the opportunity arose, Vorjak would subdue the human race and turn Earth into a Jaridian colony. This, however he could not allow.

His eyes flashed. 'I hereby reclaim Earth as an integral part of the Taelon dominion. You shall leave this quadrant within an hour; if not, you shall be judged accordingly for trespassing upon Taelon territory.'

The declaration provoked a peal of laughter, which echoed down the Jaridian battleship. Vorjak stood motionlessly with a bold smirk curving his thin lips. 'Have you lost your mind?' the amusement in his voice was all too clear. 'You are lucky your genetic material is too precious to simply be wasted; otherwise I would have burnt this _Taelon dominion_ with you on board!'

A sly smile brightened the diplomat's face. 'And destroy the precious interdimensional engines of the Mothership in the process?'

The Leader of the High Command bit his lip.

'In your current condition, I do not believe you have much time to spare,' Da'an continued, 'whereas I have plenty.'

'Less than you think,' Vorjak countered before he turned to his second-in-command, who was obediently standing behind him. 'Bring me the Taelon.'

Karvir nodded. As he turned to leave the Bridge, however, Da'an's voice stopped him mid-stride.

'I would refrain from such a reckless course of action,' the Taelon warned. 'Against the assessment of Jaridian technicians, the Mothership has been equipped with advanced offensive systems, the power of which I fully intend to utilize should any of your vessels be found within the direct range of the automatic tracking system.'

Vorjak chuckled. 'We both know the Mothership has no such systems. Otherwise your species would have used them during the battle.'

A soft blush swept over the Taelon's form. 'I see you are willing to test the truthfulness of my words.'

The Leader of the High Command frowned as the diplomat's self-confidence sowed first seeds of doubt in his mind. 'Launch a test probe,' he commanded, feeling Karvir's questioning gaze upon him.

Within seconds a missile-shaped construction was launched, momentarily brightening the darkness of outer space. Vorjak's eyes narrowed as he followed its course in anticipation. He was almost certain the Taelon was bluffing, but in the current situation he would not allow his pride deceive him yet again. Since the Jaridian population was shrinking rapidly, risking the life of a pilot when the situation did not deem it absolutely necessary, was out of the question.

A small smirk began to curve his lips when the probe had nearly reached the glimmering, purplish hull of the Mothership undamaged – only to evolve into an expression of utter shock. In a flash of bright light the probe exploded the moment it was hit with a massive energy blast.

'You deceitful _shyh'rath_!' Vorjak's eyes narrowed to burning slits of fury. 'Despite all the damage you've done to my species, I let you live and this is how you repay me?!'

Da'an tilted his head to the side. 'Deceitful? I have offered you nothing but the truth. Despite the fact that you have executed my brethren… my only living child… and those in stasis,' he said and for a moment the warrior thought he saw an expression of pain in the Taelon's azure-blue eyes as they shimmered with tiny particles of energy.

'So it's all about revenge, then.' A smirk curved the corner of Vorjak's lips as he relished that pale reflection of his enemy's agony. 'Perhaps our species are not as far apart in spirit as I initially thought.'

'You are mistaken. Revenge would bring me no comfort. The pain of loss I shall never forget… yet neither will you as your species descends into oblivion,' a rueful smile warmed the Taelon's cold eyes. 'I am merely reclaiming the rightful territory of the Taelon Empire, and giving you the opportunity to meet the end of your days in the embrace of your homeworld.' Da'an lowered his eyes. 'A chance you paradoxically took from me long ago.'

The Leader of the High Command blinked in confusion, but as a large interdimensional portal bent the space in close proximity to the port side of the Jaridian battleship, his muscular hands turned into fists.

'The coordinates of the portal have been set to the orbit of Akhra on the Jaridian territory,' Da'an continued. 'Your crew shall have the chance to spend their final moments with those they hold dear.'

'For as long as I am in charge, no such thing shall happen!' Vorjak bawled.

'You have the right to refuse,' the Taelon waved his hand. 'This transmission, however, is being shared with all Jaridian vessels which the High Command has dispatched to the Solar System. Their commanders may be tempted… not to share your views.'

Vorjak trembled with rage. The very thought that his fleet might rebel against his orders was more than enough to throw him off-balance. Karvir took a glimpse at the members of his personal squad whose whispers were gradually filling the Bridge. It seemed that the Taelon had hit their weakest spot. Now that the victory had been achieved after years of unending struggle and the war was over, the only thing his soldiers desired was spending their final moments on Jaridia.

It was evident that their Leader perfectly understood the situation, too. Roughly, he turned to the communication officer standing at a nearby console. 'Send this transmission to all Jaridian vessels within communication range,' he commanded. 'Whoever leaves their post shall be found guilty of treason and punished with death!'

'I highly doubt your subordinates shall find that one foreign planet is worth descending into the Void so far away from their homeworld,' Da'an appeared somewhat amused by the Jaridian's desperate attempt. 'Should they express a wish to return to Jaridia, the portal shall remain functional for the next hour.'

'Without an ID drive, any craft which enters the portal will be lost in interdimensional space,' one of the technicians remarked.

'I guarantee you that Taelon systems are capable of tracking all Jaridian vessels. You will be safe.' Da'an paused before he turned to Vorjak directly. 'Although your determination to settle old scores is clear, I hope you shall place the fate of your people over your personal vendetta. In which case we shall not meet again,' this said, the Taelon bowed his head as the transmission ended.

Vorjak stood motionlessly with his face twisted in anger. 'Any Jaridian craft seen trying to enter the portal will be shot on sight!' he warned gruffly before he turned around to address those present on the Bridge. All eyes were riveted on him in a silent, though utterly pointless, hope that he would relieve them of duty. 'Any crew member discussing the option of return will be arrested on charge of inciting mutiny and put to trial for war crimes,' he announced darkly. 'So you'd better watch your tongue.'

This said, he left the Bridge, motioning for Karvir to follow. Vorjak's second-in-command was by his side in an instant.

'Get the technicians to assess what weapons can be used to disable the offensive systems of the Taelon Mothership without damaging the ID drives,' the Leader of the High Command ordered as his voice turned dangerously low. 'The Taelon will pay for threatening me, and I shall make sure he pays dearly.'

* * *

I lost my writing muse, so for the time being I'll suspend this story.  
Maybe in the future I'll come back to it, but that's it for now.

Thank you all for reading and commenting! :)


End file.
